The Force's Shattered Will
by Kenobi Skywalker
Summary: The Empire's been defeated. Luke sets to work reestablishing the Jedi Order. Worrying over his incomplete training, Luke begins doubting himself. He confronts the Force, admitting the doubts he had, and receives an answer he never would have expected. What is he to do now, trapped in this new era before the Jedi ceased to be? And what in the universe is the meaning of this!
1. Chapter 1

_**Wee! Star Wars. I've been wanting to write a time travel fic for a while now, so here it is!**_

* * *

 _ **-CW-**_

Luke sighed as he flew over the Jedi Temple on Yavin IV. The Empire had finally been defeated but that didn't mean the young Skywalker could take a break. No, he

still had a lot of work to be done. Reestablishing the Jedi Order, coaxing the Jedi in hiding to reveal themselves, building the New Republic, and locating young Force

Sensitives to train. How he was to do this, Luke had absolutely no idea. None.

Luke sighed for what felt, to him, to be the umpteenth time. He was tired, overwhelmed, and exhausted. But he could hardly afford to rest. There was so much to be

done and little time to do it. The Galaxy needed a new system installed before chaos broke out….and Luke would rather not have to worry about another all-out war.

Shaking his head, Luke banished all thoughts from his mind and focused on flying. "Where're we headed, R2?" He asked the astrodroid, who beeped multiple times in

response. "Back to the Temple?" Luke repeated, and R2 dully beeped in reply. "What?" Luke blinked and peered out his window. "How'd it get so late?" He wondered

to himself, curving the X-wing in the direction of the Jedi Temple. Silence reigned as he neared his destination when he was struck by many doubts and questions

cramming his mind.

Could he rebuild the Jedi Order successfully? Would the new System be sufficient enough to take effect? Would they be able to find Force Sensitives to train? Could

he, Luke Skywalker, take full responsibility for this task and accomplish it? Even if he had to do it alone? "I don't know." Luke muttered under his breath. He couldn't

help but feel he wasn't the one for this task. First of all, his training was incomplete, so how was he to teach Force Sensitives skills and concepts that he had yet to

perfect and comprehend? He exhaled deeply and decided not to worry about it.

"Dear Force...What am I to do?" He found himself wondering aloud when suddenly, he sensed a disturbance in the Force. "Something's wrong." He murmured, eyes

roving the landscapes he passed. Something was amiss, and the disturbance was coming from near the Temple. His crystal blue eyes narrowed as he drew nearer. He

could sense several beings in the Temple. But there was one presence Luke sensed above all others. A bright one at that. His eyes widened. "Lariss!" Veering

downwards, Luke increased the speed of his X-wing, focusing on his sister's presence. When had his sister returned from her mission? Han and Leia, he knew, weren't

to return to the Temple for a couple of hours, seeing as they were picking up their twin children from a friend's home. Lariss, however, he wasn't expecting for

another two days.

Of course...Luke rolled his eyes. Lariss was quite overprotective of her siblings, especially Luke, seeing as he was the first of them all to find her. She worried over

their well being, which was probably why she was at the Temple. Lariss knew, seeing as Luke had contacted her earlier, that he would be returning to the Temple to

assess it. Thankfully, Lariss knew when to give them space. She wouldn't stay too long, just enough to ensure they were doing well.

' _Lariss,'_ Luke opened the link to his connection with his sister through the Force. He could feel her respond immediately. ' _What's going on?'_

' _The Temple's been attacked.'_ Came the breathless response, and Luke could tell his sister was fighting whoever the invaders were.

' _Obviously.'_ Luke accidentally sent through the connection, starting when he felt his sister mentally swat him.

' _I don't recognize them, though. And I couldn't sense them until they attacked.'_ His sister paused for a moment and Luke could feel her recoiling from something, a

flicker of pain flashing through their bond. Worried, Luke tilted his X-Wing in a steep dive, only raising the tip of his tiny ship just before they hit the ground. He

zipped through the maze of trees then over the river before the Temple.

' _I'm on my way. Can you hold them off until then?'_ He asked, concerned when he felt another flash of pain emitting from his Sister's end of the bond.

' _Yeah. Just hurry, they're pretty strong. But be careful, Luke. Something about them is...wrong.'_ That was the last thing he heard before he reached the Jedi Temple,

projecting himself from the X-Wing and using the Force to speed over into the immense building. He traced his sister's Force signature, feeling it pulsing somewhere

nearby. He rushed through many grand rooms, skidding into the one his sister was currently in. He waved a hand in the air, opening the large, dark, doors with the

Force and was immediately greeted by darkness. Luke blinked. There was a mist of darkness seeping out of the room and covering the tiled floor. Glancing up, Luke

caught sight of the familiar, dark blonde hair that belonged to Lariss and charged in, sensing several presences in the room. Igniting his green lightsaber, Luke lunged,

sailing through the air and landing next to his sister. Lariss whipped around, expecting Luke to be another enemy but paused just before she struck him with her

white lightsaber.

"You made it." She gave him a smile, one Luke returned, before refocusing her attention on the suffocating darkness surrounding them. Luke, glancing back at his

sister, assessing her. Relieved that she was not terribly injured, Luke looked to the darkness. "They caught me unawares." His sister scowled, and Luke had to

suppress his amusement at the irritation his sister was projecting. He frowned when his sister turned to him, a confused expression adorning her fair features.

"Something about their leader struck me, though...These creatures...They don't strike me as evil, Luke. In fact, I feel nothing from them at all!" Luke opened himself

to the Force once more and blinked in surprise. His sister was right. There was nothing emanating from these presences surrounding them. Not even the darkness.

"This…" Luke trailed off, unsure of what to make of this. "Did you manage to catch sight of any of them?" He asked his sister, pressing his back against her's, raising

his saber in the hopes of dispersing the darkness with the light. The darkness wasn't at all affected.

"I did." Came the reply. Luke heard the troubled tone lacing each word she spoke. "They're...how do I say this? They're here, but not here, d'you know what I mean?"

Luke blinked in response.

"As in, invisible?"

"No, not invisible…" A huff emitted from her lips as she thought of how to describe these creatures to her brother. "They don't physically attack either. They play with

your emotions and they mess with you mentally. Be sure you're shields are set up." She warned. Luke nodded. A warning pulsed from his right and he reacted in an

instant, repelling the Force wave sent his way. He nearly stumbled from the weight of the wave.

"They can use the Force?" He muttered.

"Apparently." His sister uttered in return. "Oh! That's it! They're like Force Ghosts!" She suddenly exclaimed, snapping her fingers when the term she had been

searching for finally came to mind. "They appear and disappear at will."

"Force Ghosts?" Luke repeated, raising both eyebrows at this. He had heard of them, but it was rare for one to actually come face to face with a Force Ghost.

"They were specifically targeting the Temple, that I know. But they're searching for something. What it is, I have yet to discover. Until then, we need to get out of

here. I sense the big guy's coming."

Luke agreed, taking hold of his sister's wrist and fleeing the room. They couldn't fight with the Darkness. It had been dulling their Force Senses, making it difficult for

them to locate their enemy and have the Force forewarn them of an incoming attack.

"Contact Han and Leia." Luke told her as they ran, sensing the Force Ghosts following close behind. "Tell them that coming to the Temple is out of the question."

"Sure thing." Lariss set to work, but the curse that followed told Luke the transmission mustn't be working. "Transmission's jammed." His sister growled, glancing

over her shoulder to see if the Force Ghosts were following. "Why are they here?"

"I have no idea." Luke frowned deeply, looking back to see the darkness spreading.

"Luke-LOOK OUT!" His sister's cry came too late. The next thing Luke knew, he was being thrown through the air, and once he struck the ground, registered the pain

immobilizing him. "Luke! Luke!" His sister's shout grew fainter and broke as Luke slowly grew unconscious. The sound of a lightsaber being activated and cutting

through something echoing in his mind. He could hear the pounding of her boots against the tiled floor as she rushed over to him, his sister's worried face the last

thing he saw before giving into the darkness waiting for him.

* * *

 _ **-CW-**_

Luke groaned as he slowly came to, blinking owlishly as he propped himself up and looked around. Where was he? The last thing he remembered was running

through the Temple with his sister…

His eyes snapped open when he recalled everything that had happened and the young man bolted upright, scanning his surroundings. It was dark outside, telling

Luke that he had been out for at least a couple or so hours. Looking about the grand corridor he was in, Luke found several heavy cloaks lying about. The same

cloaks the 'Force Ghosts' had been wearing.

"Lariss?" He called, cradling his pounding head. He didn't receive an answer. Raising his head, he found that his sister was nowhere to be found. "Lariss!"

Nothing.

Everything was dead silent.

' _I just had to say 'dead,' didn't I?'_ Luke sighed to himself, concerned for the wellbeing of his sister. Had she taken on the Force Ghosts herself? Where was she?

"Force...How am I supposed to do this?" He muttered to himself. Nothing seemed to go right for Luke. He already doubted himself of being a Jedi and being able to

train other Force Sensitives, had absolutely no idea what to do about the New Republic, and there was already someone attacking the Jedi. For some unexplained

reason, Luke felt that this wasn't supposed to be his duty alone. There were supposed to be more. Something had gone wrong long ago, when the Empire existed. "I

don't think I can do this...Not alone." He said aloud, to no one in particular. "I'm not...I'm not responsible enough to do all of this. I can't even protect the Temple, it

seems." He sighed once again, rounding a corner and heading down another corridor, following the trail of cloaks there were. His sister had been here, he could sense

her fading presence. He jolted mid-step, worry spiking through him. Lariss's presence was...fading? He closed his eyes, reaching out to his sister, hoping she would

respond to his call.

There was no response.

Growing even more concerned, Luke hastened his pace, jogging after the faint Force signature he was sensing, clinging to it as he neared where it was. He skidded

into the room he could feel his sister was in, and froze at what he saw.

His sister was lying, motionless, on the ground, her back facing him, her hair splayed all over the floor. There were many singes in her clothing from- Luke raced over.

Were those lightsaber wounds?! "Lariss!" He carefully rolled her onto her back, brushing her hair from her face. She didn't appear to be breathing. "Lariss?" He

whispered, poking her with the Force. He felt it pulse under his touch and felt immensely relieved. She was still alive, only in a deep healing trance.

Vibrant blue eyes opened and locked onto his.

"Luke?"

"How do you feel?" Luke asked his sister. Lariss immediately tried to sit up, only to wince and hiss in pain. Luke gently pushed his sister back down, resting his hand

on her shoulder. "Don't try to move. What happened?"

"Are you alright?" Lariss immediately asked, and Luke suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. Of course. Lariss could be dying and she would still worry about her

siblings.

" _I'm_ fine, _you_ clearly aren't." He told her, Lariss huffing.

"I'm fine." Came the stubborn response. He raised an eyebrow.

"You definitely need medical attention. Those wounds shouldn't be taken lightly." That reminded him… "Speaking of which, are those lightsaber wounds?"

"I don't know what else they could be." Lariss absentmindedly answered, searching the room, confusion evident in her eyes.

"What is it?"

"When I was knocked out...I had a vision." Lariss began, her voice reflecting her bewilderment.

"A vision?" Luke leaned back, interested. Ever since he had run into his sister on Bespin, he had learned not to take her visions lightly. It had taken Han a while to

convince that his sister was no longer a Sith, but they soon became a tight family. Leia had bonded with her sister as well, claiming she had rescued her several times

on the Death Star, and the three siblings now could telepathically contact one another as they pleased. He opened his mouth to ask what it was about when he

remembered his sister's wounds. "You can tell me when we reach the med-bay. You really do need to have those wounds checked out."

"They aren't bad, Luke!" Luke would have none of it, however, helping Lariss to stand. Wrapping his arm securely around his sister, who nearly fell a couple of time,

Luke set a slow pace towards the hangar. "Just a concussion, most likely, and a few burns." He incredulously looked to her.

"You call those 'burns!?'" He shook his head.

"I've had worse." Lariss mumbled, averting her eyes when unpleasant memories emerged. Luke inwardly wince, knowing where her mind had wandered. Her time as

a Sith had not been pleasant. When was it ever?

...Well, in a disturbing way, it was. Luke immediately banished that thought.

"You have nothing to worry about now, Lariss." He tried to comfort her, earning a small smile of thanks. He knew she was still feeling guilty and responsible for the

Empire's actions. No matter what Luke or Leia, even Han, tried to tell her, Lariss was adamant in believing that many things were her fault. Nothing they could say

could convince her otherwise. He wished there was something he could do to help her. To appease her pain. He could sense the enormous amount of guilt she still

held. There was a healthy dose of darkness swirling within her that worried Luke. If she continued to hold onto this guilt…

Luke shook his head. He knew his sister would never turn. When they had run into each other, Luke could tell she was reluctant to fight him. She had never turned.

Never accepted her role as a Sith apprentice. But the guilt she clung to was unhealthy for her.

* * *

 _ **-CW-**_

It wasn't long after that they reached the med-bay in space. After checking his sister in, Luke followed the doctor to the room they were holding Lariss in.

"Her wounds will heal in time, but she mustn't do anything too strenuous." The doctor was saying as they walked. "Other than that, she is completely healthy. At

least, physically."

"What do you mean?" Luke paused for a moment, giving the doctor a sharp glance. The doctor frowned.

"You will forgive me for being so blunt, but your sister is an emotional wreck. I've dealt with numerous Jedi, back when the Old Republic was still in tact, and, though

she does her best to hide it, I can sense the darkness lingering beneath the surface. She's been through much, the poor child. But for her to hold it inside is…"

"I understand." Luke gravely nodded.

"It could prove disastrous. Keep a close eye on her, kid, and she should be fine."

"I will, thank-you." Luke replied, watching as the doctor walked away. He found himself exhaling once again, slightly exasperated and very, very, exhausted. He was

drained! Pressing the button, the door vanished and he entered his sister's room.

"Luke!" Lariss's irritated voice flowed over to him. "Can we leave now? I hate it here."

"Patience, Lariss." Luke grinned as his sister flew back into her pillows, heaving a large, impatient, sigh. "Come now, it has only been a couple of hours."

"Three!" Lariss raised three fingers as if to emphasize her impatience. "I need out!"

"Calm down, Lariss." Luke rolled his eyes at her antics. She could really be a child sometimes. At least, when it came to having medical attention. His sister had little

to no patience with medical facilities. "Before we go, how about you tell me about this vision you had?" He reminded her, carefully sitting himself on the bed.

There was nothing said for a tense moment.

"Lariss?"

His sister blinked. "Sorry, I was thinking." He narrowed his eyes.

"You've been doing that a lot, lately. And you've been leaving more frequently. Is something wrong? Have you sensed something?"

"Not exactly." Lariss criptly said. "I've just had this feeling that something's not...right. Something just feels wrong." Luke perked up at this. "Everything that's

happened," She gestured to the window. "Everything that's going to happen, I feel shouldn't be. It's confusing."

"Like our reality shouldn't be our reality." Luke murmured and Lariss's eyes flickered to meet his in surprise.

"You've felt it too?"

He nodded. "I've been feeling that something was off. Especially with the Force. It feels troubled."

"Something happened that shouldn't have happened, Luke. But I can't figure out what. I decided to ask the Force for help and then I had the vision."

"What was it?"

"There was a man there…" Her brow furrowed as Lariss continued. "I was stuck. There was debris everywhere...and fire. I was trapped; there was nowhere to run or

to escape. It was heavy and I was suffocating from lack of oxygen. Suddenly, there was a light, and from that light, a man emerged."

"Something about this man struck you." Luke stated more than guessed.

"Yes." Lariss dipped her chin in a curt nod. "He was familiar. I don't know why, since I've never met him before. He found me. But he wasn't alone. There were Clones

with him."

"Clones?" Luke repeated, having not expected that.

"Yes."

' _Dear Force! There is a child here!'_

Luke started when he heard the familiar voice in his mind and he knew his sister was recalling the vision.

' _Cody, I need your men down here!'_

' _Sir! You heard the General! Move, move!'_ Luke inwardly flinched when he heard the Clone's voice.

' _What are you doing here?'_ He heard the man wonder before sensing his sister pulling out of the vision. He remained still, mulling over what he had heard. He _knew_

that voice! He had heard it somewhere…

"I don't understand it."

"Neither do I." Luke distractedly said, still thinking about the man's voice. It kept replaying itself in his mind. "But I know that man." Lariss turned to him.

"You do?"

"I know I do." He stood up and began pacing. "Where have I heard his voice?" Troubled, Luke spent a long while meditating over what he had learned but the Force

would reveal nothing to him. After some time had passed, Luke and Lariss left the medical facility and returned to the Temple, hoping to find some answers there.

* * *

 _ **First chapter done! Several more to go!**_


	2. Imbalance

**_First chapter! I sure hope you enjoy._**

* * *

 ** _-CW-_**

 ***Scribble scribble***

A pause, hesitation.

 ***Scribble scribble***

So far so-

 *** _SCRAAAAAATCH_ * **

"No, no, no!" Lariss groaned, dropping her head against the desk she was working at. She and Luke had wandered down into the Archives of the Temple in the hopes

that they may find the answers they were searching for.

No such luck.

"This isn't working." Luke sighed, shaking his head as he put away yet another datapad. "I've searched up everything that's come to mind, but nothing has come

up."

"Same here." Lariss admitted, somewhat frustrated. They had been working nonstop, only pausing to snack here and there, but they had found nothing. Luke shared

her frustration, but dispelled it into the Force. "There has to be something." The young woman declared under her breath, scanning through another series of

records. She was about to skip several records when one caught her eye. She stopped what she was doing then pressed the 'up' button, looking for the record.

"Luke!"

Luke jumped up, knowing that whatever had caught his sister's attention must have been important.

"What is it?" He asked, hoping she may have found something helpful.

"I think-" Lariss leaned back in her seat. "I may have found something."

Peering over his elder sister's shoulder, Luke glanced at the screen and nearly reared back in shock. There, on the screen, was a picture of Anakin Skywalker, their

father. Scrolling down, they found several other pictures of Anakin and Obi-Wan, and a familiar Togruta along with plenty of information about everything the 'Hero

with No Fear' had accomplished.

"I don't know about you," Lariss began, eyes glued to the picture of their Father, "But I get the feeling that what we've been feeling has something to do with him."

Luke had to agree. He could feel the Force pulsing as they scanned the information on the screen.

"At least part of it." He said. His Father looked exactly the same as when he had seen him on Endor. His sister was the spitting image of their Father. The same color

hair, the same intense blue eyes, the same facial structure... She was a mini-Anakin. As was Luke, his sister would tell him. Though, his hair was a shade lighter than

their Father's. Leia, Lariss claimed, shared a strong resemblance with their mother. Luke had agreed, having also seen their Mother with their Father on Endor. Padme

had later visited him in a vision to tell him how proud she was of him. Idly, Luke wondered if his Mother was still proud of him. After all, the New Republic was still

under construction, but Luke felt he had already failed. There were many flaws that had yet to be corrected.

"-I'm certain Vader is involved as well..."

Luke blinked when he realized his sister had been speaking and asked her to repeat herself. Lariss rolled her eyes.

"I said, Vader also has something to do with it."

Luke looked to the screen to find a picture of Vader had been pulled up. The Force tingled once again, telling Luke his sister was correct.

"But what do Vader and Father have to do with it? Vader rose twenty some odd years ago..." Luke trailed off, feeling a strong impression that he was onto something.

Lariss bit her lip, her fingers flying over the electronic keyboard.

"Vader died the moment Anakin Skywalker saved you from the Emperor..." Lariss's tone was low, guilt lacing every word she spoke. Luke placed a comforting hand

on her shoulder, knowing exactly where her mind had wandered. She was blaming herself once again.

"It wasn't your fault, Lariss." He tried to tell her, but Lariss would have none of it.

"You always tell me that, Luke. If I hadn't made that mistake...I wouldn't have been incapacitated! I could've...I could've prevented it..."

"It was the will of the Force." Luke said, and Lariss sighed.

"The will of the Force." She mimicked him, spitting the words out with such distaste that it startled Luke. He could sense her rising anger and suppressed the urge to

sigh. She still had yet to release her hold of the Dark Side of the Force. Many feared Lariss, having known her to be a vicious and merciless Sith, but Luke knew

otherwise, having had many run-ins with his elder sister while on the Death Star. She had stayed because of their Father, Luke knew. She couldn't bear to leave him,

despite the monster he had become. When she had discovered Luke and Leia, Lariss fought to protect them, always preventing the Imperials from locating the Rebel

Bases and discovering the Rebels' information during the rebellion against the Empire. She had even hacked into the system and deleted all of the information the

Empire had gathered on the Rebels. When the Emperor discovered Lariss's betrayal, he had attempted to eradicate her and nearly succeeded. Lariss had been

severely wounded but Vader intercepted and managed to send Lariss away. It had been Anakin Skywalker who had saved his daughter's life, which gave the two

siblings hope that they could redeem their Father.

"Perhaps this is enough for today." Luke decided, noting how tired his sister was. He, himself, was also drained of energy. His bouts of insomnia kept Luke from

resting peacefully but no matter what he did, Luke could never get himself to rest peacefully.

"I guess." Lariss agreed, pushing herself away from the desk. "How's everything going for you?" She asked as they left the archives. Luke grimaced.

"Not very well." He admitted, knowing he couldn't hide anything from her. His ever-observant sister could see through Luke in an instant but she never pressed him

more than necessary, which he appreciated. His shoulders slumped slightly as he thought about all of the conflicting thoughts he had been trying to sort through

earlier that day. He could feel Lariss's concerned gaze burning into his back as he walked ahead towards the Gardens.

"What is it, Luke?" She softly questioned, seating herself beside Luke when he plopped down onto the ground. Luke basked in her presence. It was always so

comforting to be near Lariss. He wondered if it had to do with the fact that they had been recently reunited after having been separated at birth.

"I don't know if I can do this, Lariss." He found himself confessing. "Building the New Republic, reestablishing the Jedi Order...How can I? We still haven't

found any Jedi who could have survived the Purges, if any did, nor have we found any Force Sensitives to train. Of course, there are the twins," Luke said, referring to

Jacen and Jaina, Leia and Han's children. "But they are too young to begin training. It feels wrong." He added, brow furrowing. "What can I do? There has to be

something."

Lariss nodded, knowing there was more to it than Luke was admitting, but held her tongue. She could tell Luke was stressed. He was weary and exhausted, having

been working nonstop ever since the Empire was destroyed.

"Have you inquired of the Force?" Lariss hesitantly asked him, averting her eyes when Luke gave her a look of surprise. Normally, Lariss would dismiss the Force,

having firmly declared that she wanted nothing to do with it.

"I've tried...But I only get cryptic answers in reply to all of my questions." Luke leaned back, frustrated.

"Why don't you try again?"

What was the use of trying again? Luke couldn't help but wonder. He wouldn't be receiving any answers any time soon.

Or so he thought.

"You never know..." Lariss shrugged. "The Force may have mercy on you and give you the answers you've been seeking."

"I suppose it's worth a try." Luke decided, straightening himself and preparing to meditate. Lariss shifted beside him. He looked over to her. "You don't have to stay if

you don't want to." He said, knowing his sister didn't want anything to do with the Force. Meditation was a way Jedi would attempt to grow stronger in the Force, and

that was something Lariss no longer wanted. After everything she had gone through, Lariss had decided to do away with the Force. She would no longer use it unless

it was absolutely necessary. After internally battling with herself, Lariss finally reached a decision.

"No." She shook her head. "I'll join you."

This took Luke by surprise.

"Are you certain?" He cautiously asked. Lariss heaved a sigh, reluctantly nodding.

"I want to help you..." She trailed off. "Well, come on. Let's get this over with before I change my mind."

Luke nodded and closed his eyes, banishing every thought from his mind and relaxing. He could sense Lariss doing the same as the two prepared to meditate, his

sister's Force presence fusing with his as they deepened their connection with the Force.

* * *

 ** _-CW-_**

Hours later, Luke felt ready to give up. He had tried to ask the Force what it was it wanted him to do, but he had received no reply. There was absolutely no response.

Nothing. He could feel his sister growing frustrated, telling him that she, too, had had the same results. He felt her retreat from the meditation, but she remained

seated beside him. She was lending him her strength, Luke realized. His strength, which had been waning as of late, was gradually increasing, his grasp on the Force

increasing as well as he borrowed his sister's hold of the Force.

' _Force help me...'_ He thought to himself as he focused on meditating. ' _What is it you wish me to do?'_

 _'Luke!'_

Luke started, hearing his sister's surprised exclamation. He was about to pull away to inquire what the matter was but her voice returned to him. ' _No! It's working!'_

What was working? Luke wondered, before he could feel a shift in the Force. Luke felt his spirits lift from this. The Force was listening! Afraid that the moment would

be short-lived, Luke quickly told the Force everything. He let every doubt spill from his mind, every troubling thought he had had, and asked every question that

came to mind. He could feel the Force swirling intensely around him but never received an answer. Disappointed, Luke tried to think of reasons why the Force would

not reply. He focused even more on becoming one with the Force, relaxing when he felt the Force responding.

" _Luke..."_ A low voice murmured and Luke started. Who had spoken to him? Lariss was the only person with him at the moment, but that voice definitely did not

belong to his sister. An amused chuckle reverberated through the air as Luke slowly opened his eyes. They immediately landed upon the shimmering blue figure

standing before him. He blinked in surprise. The being was tall, his hair long, and he had a beard. His eyes were aged with wisdom and filled with warmth as they

gazed down at him.

"Who are you?" Luke asked. He had only seen his Father, Mother, Obi-Wan, and Yoda on Endor, but never this man.

 _"I am Qui-Gon Jinn."_ The Blue figure introduced himself. " _I was Obi-Wan's Master."_

"Obi-Wan?" Luke was surprised by this, his eyes brightening when Qui-Gon mentioned his first Master's name.

 _"Yes, Luke."_ A familiar voice resounded from beside Qui-Gon and another blue figure materialized before him.

"Obi-Wan!" Luke smiled widely upon seeing the man. He looked much younger than when Luke had known him, his hair longer than before. How he wished he could

embrace the man! Sadly, Luke remembered, Obi-Wan was one with the Force, so that would be impossible. His death still impacted Luke up to this day. He had

known Obi-Wan ever since he was young. To have lost him while on the Death Star...

 _"We meet again, young Luke."_ Obi-Wan dipped his chin at the young man. _"I only wish we could have met under better circumstances."_

"What do you mean?" The smile slowly faded away when he noted the troubled look Obi-Wan wore. Qui-Gon spared a glance at Obi-Wan, concerned when the young

man remained silent. For a moment, Obi-Wan said nothing, then he spoke.

 _"Luke...The Force has not fulfilled its purpose."_ The man began. Luke tilted his head in confusion.

"What? But...How is that possible? The Empire rose, the Empire was destroyed, and Father brought balance to the Force...Wasn't that what was supposed to be

done?" He questioned.

 _"That is what we believed."_ Obi-Wan nodded. " _But it appears that we were wrong. The Prophecy of the Chosen One has created an imbalance in the Force."_

Luke was even more confused. He shook his head, knowing the two Jedi Masters could sense his growing bewilderment. "I don't understand. Father's purpose was to

bring balance to the Force...By converting from the Jedi to the Sith, he was fulfilling the Prophecy...wasn't he?"

Qui-Gon answered this.

 _"No, Luke. Our interpretations of the Prophecy were incorrect. When I found Anakin on Tatooine, I believed he was the Chosen One we had all been waiting for. It_

 _appears that I was incorrect."_

 _"Anakin was the Chosen One, in a manner of speaking."_ Obi-Wan added before Luke could speak. _"Chosen by the Dark Side."_

 _"There were two who had been chosen."_ Qui-Gon continued, Luke listening intently to everything they were telling him.

"One for the Light and one for the Dark." Luke stated, rather than guessed. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan nodded. "Who was the other Chosen One?"

 _"The man was one we all knew well."_ Qui-Gon elusively said. " _However, because we did not understand the Prophecy, the man never discovered who he truly was,_

 _thus,_ _he was unable to fulfill his part as the Chosen One. Only in death, did he come to know the truth. How I overlooked this, I will never know."_

 _"It was not your fault, Master." O_ bi-Wan assured the tall man. Qui-Gon looked as though he wished to say something, but held his tongue as Obi-Wan turned to face

Luke. _"The Force's Will has been shattered, Luke. This imbalance will continue to grow if nothing is done about it."_ A concerned look graced Obi-Wan features. He

also appeared...disappointed? Upset? Luke narrowed his eyes. He felt he was missing a vital clue here. As though Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan had given him a large hint

that he had overlooked.

"Is there anything that can be done?" Luke decided to ask. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan shared another look.

 _"There is-"_

 _"_ Then what is it? I am willing to do anything." Luke straightened.

 _"It will not be easy. The imbalance occurred a few years prior to your birth."_ Qui-Gon told him.

 _"If we are to correct it, the past would have to be rewritten."_ Obi-Wan finished. For a moment, Luke was silent. This was not good. Silence reigned its hold as Luke

contemplated all that he was told. He understood exactly what the two were trying to tell him, but...could it be done?

"How can that be done?" He quietly asked, glancing up at Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. "If it happened years ago..." He paused. "Can anything be done about it?"

 _"Yes, something can be done."_ Qui-Gon said. Luke sharply looked up at him, waiting for the man to continue. _"But it would require much time and patience on your_

 _part. It will be difficult."_

"I am willing to do anything."

 _"Luke,"_ The young Skywalker directed his attention to Obi-Wan. " _In order to correct this imbalance, we will have to break the Code."_

"Break the Code?" Luke repeated.

" _If it weren't necessary-"_ Qui-Gon began but Obi-Wan interrupted, a knowing look gracing his features.

 _"You would still do it even if it weren't necessary."_

Qui-Gon shrugged. " _True. You have to admit, my Padawan, that the majority of the rules the Council enforced and the Code were just begging to be broken. It was_

 _because of those rules-our beliefs, and because of us that brought to pass the destruction of the Jedi."_

 _"I won't disagree there..."_ Obi-Wan murmured.

 _"And might I remind you that you were not at all the perfect Jedi many portrayed you to be. There were many times you defied the Council and the Code, Padawan-_

 _mine_ _."_

" _My reasons were justified!"_ Obi-Wan argued and Qui-Gon arched an eyebrow. Luke looked back and forth between the two. One moment, they were very serious

men, and the next...they were acting like children?

" _A_ _nd mine weren't?"_

 _"This is beside the point!"_ Obi-Wan waved a hand dismissively in the air while Qui-Gon shook his head. " _As we were saying, Luke, the imbalance must be fixed at_

 _the exact moment it occurred. No sooner, and no later."_

"So...In order to correct this...We would have to go back to the past."

" _Yes."_

"That's impossible!" Luke shook his head. What were they even thinking? Time travel? That was, in no way, possible.

 _"Or so you think."_ Qui-Gon broke through Luke's thought, and the Jedi raised his head in question.

"Time travel is impossible. No one can travel through time."

 _"That is where you are wrong."_ Obi-Wan said, shifting when his Master gazed at him.

"Who could have possibly time traveled? Why doesn't anyone know of this?" Luke wanted to know. Qui-Gon didn't answer, instead pinning Obi-Wan with another look.

Luke caught on immediately, his eyes widening a fraction "You did it?"

 _"It was an accident!"_ Obi-Wan grumbled, flashing an irritated look to Qui-Gon, who wasn't fazed in the least.

" _So you claim."_ It was clear Qui-Gon did not believe Obi-Wan.

 _"It is true! Besides, it was her fault that we ended up there."_ Obi-Wan crossed his arms.

" _Funny...Your sister said it was your fault that it happened."_

 _Sister?_ Luke repeated in his mind. _Sister? _ "You have a sister?!"

Obi-Wan mumbled under his breath before smiling kindly at Luke.

 _"You will learn more later, Luke. Now, it is time for you to return. Lariss is getting rather worried."_

"Wait!" Luke called before Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan could fade away. "What am I supposed to do? How do I fix the imbalance? How will I know what to do?" There were

so many questions he wanted to ask, but there was no time for answers. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan only gave him mysterious smiles.

 _"All will be revealed in time, young Skywalker..."_ Was all he heard before they vanished and Luke was yanked back into the present.

* * *

 ** _-CW-_**

Luke fell back against the grass, dazed. His vision was spinning and he was feeling rather light headed.

"Luke?" He could hear his sister concernedly calling. Even though his vision was still going berserk, Luke could see Lariss leaning over him, her blue eyes swimming

with worry as she shook his shoulder. "Luke! Are you alright?"

"Fine..." Luke croaked out, trying to raise himself up. His strength failed him and Luke fell back against the ground, immensely tired. Lariss pursed her lips, brushing

away the stray strands of hair that fell over his eyes.

"Anything?" she asked, and Luke wearily nodded.

"Not exactly the answer I was looking for..." He murmured, perking Lariss's interest.

"What'd you find?"

"What we were feeling...Was an imbalance in the Force."

"Imbalance?" Lariss repeated while she was sliding out of her robe. Bunching up the robe, Lariss made a make-shift pillow and placed it beneath Luke's head. He

thanked her quietly before explaining.

"I saw Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan."

"Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi?" Lariss looked surprised. "Wow."

"Yeah." Luke agreed. "They said that the Will of the Force was shattered. It wasn't fulfilled. The imbalance, from what I understand, was created by both the Chosen

Ones."

Lariss raised an eyebrow at this. "Explain."

So Luke did. He recited everything he had been told by Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, Lariss listening closely. Learning that there were two Chosen Ones rather than one

caught her attention as Luke went on to explain the Prophecy. When he was finished, it was silent, Lariss pondering over everything Luke had said.

"It does make sense, but that still doesn't quite explain it." She uttered after a moment.

"What do you mean?" Luke asked, turning his head to see her. She was sitting with her legs tucked against her chest, chin resting on her knees, staring out into the

distance.

"That's only another piece of the puzzle, Luke. They didn't tell you everything. So far, we know that the Chosen Ones created the Imbalance, intentionally or no,

and that both Anakin and Vader also have something to do with it. There is more to it, I just know it!"

"The Force?"

"No. Call it a hunch." Lariss immediately replied, and Luke rolled his eyes. Of course Lariss would dismiss the Force. Noting the look in his sister's eye, Luke knew

there was something she wasn't telling him.

"There's more to it, isn't there. You know something." It wasn't a question. It was statement Lariss couldn't deny.

"Yes." Lariss admitted. "I have a feeling we're also involved. I can't help but feel the whole family of Skywalkers is included."

"Wouldn't surprise me." Luke remarked, thinking over the many adventures the Skywalker had undergone during, and even after, the Empire. "I just want to know

what we can do to fix whatever the imbalance is-or was."

"Who knows." Lariss shrugged before standing. "Well, I'm going back inside." She stretched for a moment, stretching her arms up into the air before allowing them to

fall limply at her sides. "You should too." She added, glancing down at him. Luke sighed, content with remaining outside under the peaceful, night, sky, but decided

he probably should go and get some rest. He stood and turned to return to the Temple when he felt a disturbance in the Force.

His eyes darted about. Something was wrong, but what?

"Did you feel that?" He asked in a whisper, hand slowly reaching for his lightsaber. Lariss hummed quietly in response, already gripping her newly crafted saber. Luke

had decided it wouldn't do for her to carry around her Sith lightsaber and managed to convince her to craft a new one. It had taken an extremely long time before

Lariss gave in, telling Luke she would only do it for him and Leia. Sadly, Luke couldn't persuade her to get rid of the red one. Lariss kept it hidden in the folds of her

clothing, supposedly for 'emergencies,' as she had once told him. He knew there was more to it than that. Something about the saber itself that bound Lariss to it but

he never pressed her.

Cautiously moving forward, Luke stretched out with the Force, seeing if there were any uninvited guests hiding out somewhere nearby. There was nothing.

Lariss, sensing something coming up from behind, looked over her shoulder to see what it was.

"Luke!" She hissed and Luke felt it. A shift in the Force. It was subtle and would have been overlooked had he not been searching for it. It was coming from the

Temple and behind them.

"The Temple!"

"Go! I'll take care of whatever's here." Lariss told him, shoving Luke forward. Luke didn't hesitate to sprint towards the grand doors of the Temple but before he could

get far, he heard Lariss crying out. "Luke! Help!"

"Lariss!" Luke skidded to a stop, whipping around to find Lariss struggling against some invisible force. He bolted in her direction, narrowing his blue eyes in order

to find who was attacking her. He could find nothing.

"I can't break away!" Lariss exclaimed, struggling even more. It felt as though her whole entire being was being sucked into some sort of vacuum and there was

nothing she could do about it. She dug the heels of her boots into the ground, hoping to stop herself, but the pulling sensation intensified, causing her to skid back.

Using the Force to enhance his vision, Luke saw what it was. There was a void of nothingness opening up behind his sister, and since it was so dark, Luke had not

seen it until now. "It's too strong!"

"Hold on, Lariss!" Luke threw his hand up, calling upon the Force to yank his sister away. It wouldn't work. He tried harder, his hand trembling from him trying

to battle against the void.

Lariss grunted and shook her head. "It's no use, Luke!" Her dark hair whipped wildly in the wind the void was creating. Luke pursed his lips in determination, forcing

himself to run faster. He was almost there! When he was close enough, Luke reached out to grab hold of his sister's hand.

"Reach!" He called over the howling wind. Lariss extended her hand and that was when it happened. Lariss lost her footing and slipped backwards, having knocked

herself off balance. Her eyes widened as she was lifted up and tugged backwards into the void.

"LUKE!"

"LARISS!" Luke lunged, panic driving him to act recklessly, hoping he'd be able to reach her in time. Just as the void was beginning to close, Luke passed through,

plummeting through the nothingness after his sister.

' _Luke?'_ He heard Leia's voice in his mind but didn't reply. Now was not the time! ' _Luke, what's happening? I can sense your panic!'_ Her worried voice continued. He

did not respond, tucking his arms against his sides and diving after Lariss, who had fallen a great length away from him. His speed increased as he called upon the

Force to help him. ' _Luke! Don't you dare ignore me!'_

' _Now isn't the time, Leia!'_ Luke hadn't meant to snap, but his worry made him sound rather harsh. He could feel Leia's increasing concern and could imagine she was

ordering Han to hurry it up. Returning his attention to Lariss, he found her being engulfed by a bright light.

"Come on!" He urged himself, worried he wouldn't reach her in time. He caught a glimpse of her momentary surprise and worry as she reached out towards him,

the light brightening even more. Lariss was beginning to fade away before him.

' _Luke...'_

Then she was gone.

"No!" Luke cried when another intense light assaulted his vision. He was thrown back by some unforeseen Force and grunted, feeling his body jerk back when

another wave of air hit him, sending the young man flailing through the nothingness...

Then all went black.


	3. Kid

_**Third chapter! I sure hope you guys enjoy reading!**_

* * *

 ** _-CW-_**

The men cautiously moved forward, blaster ready as they made their way through the ruins of the base. They had been called in to investigate this base when

communications between the base and the Temple abruptly ceased. Transmissions were jammed, leading them to believe that something had indeed happened to their

fellow soldiers. Of course, their suspicions were proven correct the moment they arrived to find the base in shambles. Clearly, a battle had taken place. There was

damage everywhere, dark marks telling where blaster shots had been fired and explosions had occurred. Bodies were strewn all over the place.

"How's it looking, Rex?" A voice came through the com-link on the Captain's wrist. Rex silently sighed, internally mourning the deaths of his brothers, shaking his head

as he took in all of the fallen Clones.

"Not too good, General." Came the reply. "We're searching for survivors," He paused for a moment, sparing a glance at his men. Every Clone was checking each body

they came across, hoping one might have miraculously survived the malicious attack. Their hope was diminished when the Clone holding the radar informed them that

there were no signs of any living beings in the vicinity. "But I doubt we'll find any." The Captain finished, stepping over another body and heading for the next room.

There was silence for a moment, then the General spoke again.

"Keep looking, Rex. I'm coming down."

"Yes, Sir." Rex automatically responded when a small sound caught his attention. It was a tiny sound. Small enough that, had Rex not been focusing on every little

thing, he would have missed it. Raising one of his blasters, Rex signaled for a few of the Troops to follow him. They did without questioning, following after Rex

while the others continued onward. Silently, the small group of Clones made their way down the darkened hallway, never once letting their guard down. They found

the large door at the end of the hallway had been broken and was ready to fall over. Carefully slipping themselves through, they found themselves in the room next

to the Control Room. Upon entering the room, they could immediately tell some sort of battle had taken place here. There were many upturned and shattered boxes,

items of all sorts spilled cluttering the floor, and broken glass mingled with everything else.

Another minuscule sound emitted from nearby.

Rex glanced sharply to his right. There was a stack of boxes piled up against the wall, but there was a small space in between a few of the crates where the noise

had come from. A space, he noted, large enough to hide a person. For what he had been hearing, was the sound of someone struggling to breathe.

Signalling to the Clones with him, he gestured to the crates. The troopers immediately knew what the silent command he was giving and split into two groups. One

Clone went with Rex while the other three went in the opposite direction. They quietly approached the crates from both sides, pressing their backs against them.

Rex held up both his blasters and was just about to peer around the boxes when a low, pained, voice rang out.

"I know you're there."

They froze, the Clones whipping their heads in Rex's direction. Rex's expression mirrored his companions'. Surprise and confusion. The voice belonged to that of a

kid! What was a kid doing in a Clone base?

"You can...come out..." The kid wheezed, clearly injured. Deeming it safe enough, Rex slowly turned, entering the space. The dim light the base provided allowed him

to see a small form curled into the corner furthest from the light. He took a step closer to find that it was indeed a young kid, probably no older than twelve or so,

lying there, a dark brown robe over him. A Jedi Robe, Rex realized. But it was far too big for the kid, more like a blanket, and there were no Jedi stationed on this

planet...At least, to his knowledge. The kid, Rex also noticed, had sandy blonde hair and his complexion was very pale.

The kid was ill...

The kid shivered.

And cold, despite the heavy robe covering him. Intense blue eyes cracked open and fell onto the Captain, pinning him with a wary, and weary, gaze. The Captain

blinked. Those eyes...they reminded him of someone.

A wheeze returned Rex's attention to the kid. Kneeling down to the ground, Rex raised his hands and placed the blasters to the ground, showing the kid that he

meant no harm. Blue orbs watched him closely. Rex made sure not to move.

"What..." The kid began, his voice strained. Just speaking seemed to drain him from what little energy he had. The kid didn't appear to care, his eyes flickering

from Rex to the rest of the Clones, distrust evident in them. "Who...are you?"

Taking this as his cue to speak, Rex did. "I'm Clone Captain Rex." Rex slowly introduced himself, giving the four other Clones a pointed look. The Clones, catching the

meaning behind it, also knelt down and set their weapons on the ground. "That's Hawk, Oddball, Flash, and Whiz." Rex pointed to each of the Clones as he named

them off. The kid tilted his head, studying each of them. "We're members of the 501st." This caught his attention.

"501..st?"

"That's right, kid." Oddball nodded. The boy coughed then wheezed again, concerning Rex. He knew the child was injured, but would the kid trust them enough to

allow them to treat whatever wounds he had?

"Not...A kid..." He mumbled, earning an amused look from Oddball. "Clones...have names?"

Rex blinked. That wasn't a question he'd been expecting. When he noticed the kid was looking at him, Rex nodded. "We give ourselves names." He sat back, knowing

that they couldn't approach the kid until he felt safe with them. They would have to coax him out.

"You a Jedi?" Hawk asked, and the boy gave a start, whipping his head in his direction. Rex frowned when he saw the momentary fear flicker in those blue orbs before

they vanished.

"Y...Yes...I'm training...to be...one." He hesitantly answered, curling further into the robe, clutching the edge tightly. He looked to be debating something. Rex

narrowed his eyes. Was this kid going to try and escape? Why didn't he trust the Clones? Clones worked with the Jedi. Unless...

Rex glimpsed over his shoulder. They had found bodies of Clones in the base, but nothing else. Had the Clones attacked each other and the child witnessed it?

"Who's your master?" He asked, wondering if, perhaps, he might know the Jedi.

"Which one?" The kid asked. Rex's brow furrowed. How many Masters did the kid have? Or he might have been an initiate who hadn't yet been chosen to become a

Padawan and considered all of the Masters at the Temple his Masters.

"You do have a Master, right, kid?" Oddball carefully asked. The boy chewed on his lower lip.

"Did." He whispered, sadness dancing in the blue orbs. "They're dead now..."

There was an awkward silence as the Clones looked to one another.

"Sorry, kid. We didn't mean to bring it up." Whiz apologized, but the kid shook his head.

"Not...your...fault." He burrowed deeper into the robe, shivering violently, his breaths coming in short gasps. They had to do something.

"Were you injured?" Rex inquired, scooting closer. The boy warily eyed him, wondering if he was a friend or a foe. "We won't hurt you, Kid. We work with the Jedi,

remember?"

The boy's eyes widened a fraction before narrowing in suspicion, as if wondering if they were trying to trick him. "What day...is it?"

"The sixth day of the eleventh month, kiddo." Oddball answered.

"...Year?"

This concerned Rex even more. Could it be possible that the boy had lost some of his memory? Maybe that was why he didn't know about the Clones and the Jedi.

"21 BBY."

"WHAT!?" The boy hoarsely exclaimed, startling the Clones before he jerked forward, hacking harshly. The coughs shook his body, and they didn't sound good. The

boy had an infection. He needed medical attention soon before it worsened.

"Woah, Kid!" Rex leaned over and patted the boy's back. The boy tensed for a moment, looking up at Rex before deciding he didn't mean any harm and relaxed.

"Should we call for the General, Captain?" Whiz asked Rex, briefly looking at the kid. Rex nodded.

"Tell the General to bring a medical shuttle. This kid's going to need to be treated as soon as possible." Rex told him. Whiz nodded and walked a little further away,

com-link in hand.

"General..?" The kid repeated, chewing on his lower lip. Rex was confused. This kid didn't seem to know anything. Had he hit his head? Was he delirious? No...

"Kid, where are you hurt?" Rex decided to ask. The kid was silent for a moment, appearing momentarily confused himself. He was still eyeing each of the Clones.

"I dunno..."

"You don't know?"

"I can't...remember...I was falling..." The boy closed his eyes, his brow furrowing as he tried to remember what had happened to him. "Then...nothing...I think...I

blacked out..." He grimaced in pain once he finished, his throat parched. They had no water, Rex remembered. Had they brought any, it would have frozen because

of the cold weather. Whiz returned, com-link still in hand.

"I managed to tell him we needed a medical shuttle, but the transmission's cut off." He informed Rex, who nodded. It wasn't at all surprising. With the winter storm

raging outside, it would be hard to get the connection they needed to contact the Cruiser. At that moment, Rex's wrist-com started beeping. Pressing the button,

Rex answered.

"Clone Captain Rex, sir."

"Rex, is everything alright? Did you guys find anything?" The General's voice sounded. "I was told a medical shuttle was needed. Were you attacked?"

"No, General." Rex answered.

"Then, what's happened?"

"We found a kid, General."

"A kid?" The General incredulously repeated. "On this Force-forsaken planet?"

"Yes, sir."

"There's more to it, isn't there?" The General pressed, recognizing Rex's momentary pause. Rex normally paused whenever he had something to add.

"The kid's a Jedi, General."

"A Jedi? Is he a Padawan?"

"From what I understand, he _was_ one. His Master's dead."

The boy flinched and Rex sent him an apologetic look, noticing how the boy was transfixed on the wrist-com, trying to figure out who this 'General' was.

"Who was his Master?"

At this, Rex looked to the kid for an answer. The kid frowned for a moment, debating whether or not to tell them. Finally, he gave a silent sigh.

"Ben." He softly said. "Master Ben."

"A Master Ben, he says."

"I don't recognize the name...I'll find out later. We're nearing the base, Rex. Gather your men and prepare to leave. I don't think we'll be finding any survivors other

than the kid."

"Copy that, sir." Rex curtly nodded and indicated for the Clones with them to spread the word while he took care of the kid. "Right, the General's coming, kid. He's

a Jedi and should be able to help you."

"Jedi?" This perked the boy up.

"Yeah. One of the best. Think you can stand?" Rex asked the boy.

"I...think...so..." The boy shifted, determined to brush his weakness aside and attempted to stand. He only managed to raise himself to his knees before pausing.

His arms quivered, his body trembling, sweat gleaning on his forehead as though he had just undergone some sort of difficult, physical exercise. Rex cautiously

extended his hand down towards the boy, knowing he was still wary. The boy contemplated the offer for a moment before hesitantly reaching up and taking it, Rex

carefully helping him to stand. He lifted the Jedi Robe and covered the boy with it, earning a surprised look and quiet thank-you before they started to leave. Rex

made sure to walk beside the kid, having released the boy in order not to startle him even further. They didn't get far before the boy came to an abrupt stop.

"Kid?" Rex paused, gazing down at the blonde. The boy pursed his lips, looking around the base before ominously saying,

"They're coming..."

"Who is?" Rex asked, following the boy's line of sight but seeing nothing.

"The beasts..." The boy whispered and Rex immediately whipped out his blasters, knowing it wasn't wise to doubt a Jedi's ability, despite their age.

"Are they what attacked the base?" He questioned, earning a nod. "Kid, I need you to back away. Stay out of sight."

"But..." The boy looked up at him, wanting to argue but Rex shook his head.

"You're too injured to do anything, kid."

The boy lowered his head, knowing the Clone Captain was correct and shuffled back a few steps until he vanished in the darkness. Rex raised his wrist-com,

contacting the others.

"We have incoming!" Was all he said, knowing the Clone would understand. Not even a second had passed after Rex had spoken when the ventilation shaft above him

burst and a beast, unlike any he had ever seen, came sailing towards him. The Clone's reflex had him roll out of harm's way as another creature followed the first.

They were thin, bony, black creatures with glowing violet eyes. Rows of sharp, jagged teeth, were revealed when the creatures stretched open their jaws and

bellowed in a threatening manner.

They were hideous, Rex thought to himself. They resembled malnourished pittens, only thirty times bigger, and a hundred times more uglier. And definitely not

friendly. He opened fire, his finger pulling the triggers of both blasters as he ducked and dodged every blow the creatures wildly threw. They hissed and spat,

gnashing their teeth together in irritation, violet eyes darkening with anger. Circling the Clone, the revolting beasts tried to decide the best way to take their prey

down. Rex watched their every move, trying to predict the next attack. He felt a trimmer of uncertainty and slight fear when he found that his blasters were

completely useless against them. There wasn't one mark on their sleek skin.

The sounds of the other Clones battling the other beasts could be heard nearby, and Rex hoped they would be alright. They only needed to stall these beasts until

the General came. The creatures may be insurmountable against blasters, but they stood no chance against a lightsaber. He only needed to distract them for a little

longer.

It wasn't long when they simultaneously lunged for him. Rex dove forward beneath them, sliding on the ground then rolling and leaping to his feet, firing one shot

after another. This only riled them up more. What else had he expected?

So far, he was holding his own. It wouldn't be too long before the General arrived.

And that was the moment disaster struck.

The beasts had split up in the hopes of cornering the lone Clone, one facing him, and one behind him. How he had allowed that to happen, Rex didn't know. He only

knew he didn't wish he had made that mistake. He couldn't cover both sides. He stood sideways, hoping to keep both in sigh, watching them in the corner of his eye.

The beasts prowled around him, a low growl rumbling in their long throats. Then they struck.

Rex had tried to dodge the first one that jumped at him, but he had momentarily forgotten about the second. That distraction would cost him, Rex would soon realize.

The first twisted mid-jump and caught hold of his shoulder, lifting the Clone and tossing him aside. The second whipped around, its heavy tail whacking the Clone's

back and sending him sailing into the wall.

Stunned, Rex dropped to the ground, his head spinning.

"Captain!" Oddball's voice exclaimed, and the sound of running feet seemed to thunder in Rex's head. But they wouldn't reach him in time. Rex managed to raise his

head in time to see the largest of the two beasts pounce. He prepared himself for what was to come, only to be shocked when an emerald green light cut through the

beast, killing it instantly. The heavy body thumped to the ground, lifeless. The Clones followed the emerald green light, which turned out to be a saber, as it spun

through the air and into its wielder's hand.

The Clones stared.

The saber belonged to the kid. He had thrown his saber the moment the creature had lunged and called it back to him. The boy was breathing heavily, having run

out of his hiding spot and placing himself in front of Rex, arms extended as he faced the monster that was left.

"Kid?" Rex breathed, still surprised. The boy clenched his teeth, gripping his saber tightly. He waited, the monster snapping its jaws at him. The kid then cast his

left hand to the side, raising one of the smaller crates in the pile against the wall and threw it at the beast. The fleeting moment of distraction would be the beast's

last, for when it averted its eyes to see what had hit it, the boy attacked. His saber wove through the air in a graceful arch, slashing diagonally and beheading it.

The landing was not as soft as it should have been, and the touchdown had sent him sprawling into the cold, unforgiving ground, where he remained, motionless.

"Kid!" Oddball was the first to react, rushing forward to check on him. Turning the boy over, he threw aside the Jedi Robe and gaped at what he saw. The boy had

been severely injured. There were gashes everywhere, his shirt torn to shreds, and cuts marking his arms. The boy coughed harshly, his body jerking until he fell

back, wheezing worse than before.

"Rex!" That was the moment the General had decided to appear. "What's going o..." He trailed off, blue orbs scanning and analyzing the room. Two monstrous bodies

lying dead on the floor, broken crates and glass littering the floor, the Clones cramming the room, and the brown bundle in Oddball's arms. "What happened?"

"General, the kid needs medical attention, now." Was all Rex said, forgetting to greet the General due to his concern. The General immediately hastened over to

where Oddball was and started when he saw the child. He knelt down and quickly recovered the boy with the Jedi robe before taking him into his arms. The boy

stifled a moan from being moved, opening his pain-filled eyes to see who was holding him.

"I'll take him." The General said, looking to Rex. "Call the men together. We're leaving."

"Yes, sir!" Rex saluted and did as he was told, watching as the General sprinted away with the boy cradled in his arms.

"Sure hope the kid'll be okay." He heard Hawk murmur, Flash and Whiz mumbling in agreement.

* * *

 _ **-CW-**_

 _ **There you have it! Third chapter done, the fourth one on the way!**_


	4. First Meeting

_**Fourth Chapter up! I'm doing better than I thought I would.**_

* * *

 _ **-CW-**_

Luke sighed as he sat on the crates in the Hangar of the Jedi Temple. He had been brought in after being 'rescued' on Hoth, where he had been founded by Clones in

a ruined Base. At first, Luke had been in shock, refusing to believe anything he had been told. It was still difficult for him to accept the truth. He had time-traveled. At

least, that's what he learned. How else was this possible? Unless this was some whack Force vision, which he highly doubted. Visions didn't feel this real. He had been

ushered into the Emergency Med-Bay where several Healers worked on him for hours on end. Luke hardly remembered it. He remembered meeting into the five Clones

on Hoth, and barely remembered the General who took him to the Temple, but he didn't remember his prolonged visit to the Med-Bay. He was there for two weeks.

Two weeks before he was deemed fit enough to leave. Almost at once, he was called in to the Council to explain to them everything. Luke carefully shielded his mind

and lied.

As much as Luke hated to admit it, he did lie. Well...Only partially. He created some random, but convincing, story that paralleled the truth so that the Jedi Masters

wouldn't suspect him. He made sure to construct answers that partially rang with truth then blamed the rest on memory loss and shock. After all, losing two Jedi

Masters was a heavy weight for a young Padawan to bear. Or so the Council believed. Luke didn't lie about being in shock. In fact, he was very much in shock from

waking up and discovering he was in the past. It was also strange to be surrounded by thousands of Jedi when, in his time, he was the only one. Then he met the

Council where he saw Yoda. Not only that, but there were Clones everywhere! And every single one of them had names!

That wasn't even the worst of it all.

Luke, when he caught a glimpse of his reflection in a mirror, found that he was no longer the twenty year old Jedi from his time. Oh no, the Force had decided it

would be amusing to banish Luke into the past trapped in his fourteen year old body!

Oh yes, very amusing indeed.

After the Council session, Yoda had called Luke in to speak with him privately. He knew immediately that Yoda had seen through his facade. Once alone, Yoda had

bluntly stated that he knew Luke had lied during the whole session and asked for him to state a reason he did. Luke only said that he had lied because the Force had

wanted him to. It wasn't totally untrue. The Force had warned him to be cautious in everything that he said and did. Yoda had narrowed his eyes then jabbed his

stick into Luke's chest, stating that he would be watching the boy. But since he didn't sense any deceit or darkness in Luke, he allowed Luke to remain at the Temple.

As if he had a choice. With the Force Signature Luke had, it would have been too dangerous for him to be tossed out into the outside world.

Luke had joined in a few of the training sessions to better his swordsmanship and connect with the Force. It wasn't long before he had gained Yoda's trust and was

thrust into the Padawan program. It was abnormal for there to be a fourteen year old Padawan-in-training, but no one questioned Yoda, knowing he had to have

some reason for doing so.

"The Force's will, it is." Yoda had said to him, baffling the boy. "Sense it was no accident, I do. Much to work on, you have, if to fulfill its will, you are to."

Before Luke could even question the Grandmaster, he hobbled away, leaving Luke to ponder over the possible meaning behind Yoda's words. During his time spent

on Coruscant, Luke also searched tirelessly for his sister. If he had come to the past through the void, she had to be there too!

It had been a full month now, and nothing had turned up.

He felt utterly alone.

He had been unable to make any friends seeing as he was older than his fellow Padawan-in-training companions and everyone else was either a Jedi Knight, Master,

or a Clone. And Luke was certainly not going to talk to any Clones. Unless they addressed him-but only to be polite. Many recognized him from his multiple visits

to the Hangar. He spent most of his time examining each ship and starfighter, memorizing the different models and sometimes, fixing any issues the ships had. The

mechanics, who happened to be Clones, had quickly discovered he was a skilled pilot and mechanic. Oftentimes, whenever Luke would wander down to the Hangar,

they would invite him to check out some of the new ships that came in. Luke was ecstatic to, and would immediately set to work fixing any problems he would find.

Today, however, was a boring and dull day.

There were no ships to be fixed, no models to be worked on, and absolutely nothing to do. He sighed, his shoulders slumping. He didn't know what he was supposed

to be doing. What was there to do? He was in the past now. How was he going to fix the imbalance when he had no idea what it was?

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan-

Luke jerked his head up, eyes wide.

Obi-Wan!

Obi-Wan was alive! He leaped to his feet, a smile growing on his lips. How had he not thought of that before?! Wait, and not only that, but he could find his Father

too! The smile fell. His Father...He had only known him as Darth Vader. What was he to do when they actually met for the first time?

"Hey, kid!"

Luke started, whipping his head in the direction the voice had come from. It was the Clone he recognized as Oddball. He fought another smile that threatened to rise.

Oddball. The name was strange but funny. Oddball strode over to him, giving him a friendly grin.

"It's been a while. How're you feeling?" He asked Luke. Luke blinked. He'd never get over it. These Clones were far different than the Clones he'd met during the

Empire's reign.

"Fine." Luke replied. "Thank-you."

"That's a relief. Well, I've heard from my brothers that you've been a big help here." Oddball gestured to the Hangar. Luke shrugged.

"I just like fixing things." He modestly said, shying away from the praise.

"From what I've heard, you're a pretty good mechanic. Which reminds me..." Oddball trailed off for a moment, scanning the Hangar. It was empty and Oddball

cursed. "Sith! I was hoping one of the mechanics would be on duty. Looks like I caught them during one of their breaks again..."

"Do you need something fixed?" Luke asked, looking up at Oddball, hoping he'd say yes. He was willing to do anything! He needed something to do, to distract him

from the numerous thoughts flying through his mind. He was surprised he hadn't mentally collapsed from everything that had happened yet.

"Well, the General's ETA-2 interceptor's been damaged and we need it fixed before the next mission."

"ETA-2." Luke repeated, faintly recalling what the ship looked like. "Should be simple enough...I could help!"

"I don't know..." Oddball looked back to where the damaged ETA-2 was then back at Luke, who was staring at it with longing in his blue orbs. The red ETA-2 was just

calling to him! Begging for him to fix it. "Alright, come on then." Oddball relented with an amused smile. Luke jumped up and all but ran to the small ship, inspecting

it for damage. In a split second, Luke surmised exactly what was wrong with the ETA-2.

"Engine's been damaged..." he murmured to himself, glancing underneath the ETA-2 to see exactly how bad it was hit. He bit his lip when he surveyed the damage,

but it was repairable. He knelt to the ground then crawled underneath the small ship to get a closer look. Tapping his chin, Luke mentally drew a list of items he

would need and items that would have to be installed. He crawled back out and asked for a flimsy. Oddball handed him one and Luke jotted down the list of parts he

would need and gave the flimsy back to Oddball. Scanning the list, Oddball nodded, surprised at how much the kid knew about mechanics.

"You could give our mechanics a run for their money!" Oddball joked, ruffling Luke's hair as he left to gather the supplies. Luke started his work, dragging a large

toolbox over to where the ETA-2 was then crawled back under the ship. He rummaged about, pulling apart wires, flinching at times when they would spark, and

taking apart the engine. Parts that he knew were of no use, Luke threw to the side. They were literally fried. How they were able to pull this ship in, Luke would never

know.

Footsteps told Luke that Oddball had returned.

"Here you go, kid." Oddball said, setting down a box of parts next to the ETA-2. "Everything you asked for. How's it looking?" He crouched down to see Luke's

progress, blinking when he found how much Luke had already gotten done during his short trip to the Garage. "You work fast..."

"The Engine will probably have to be replaced. This one won't be much use if the General reuses it. It can still jump and fly pretty smoothly, but it will be too frail to

withstand flying in battles. There's a high chance of it short-circuiting and a low chance of malfunctioning...Either way...It'd be better to get a new engine."

"Thought so." Oddball nodded, agreeing with Luke's analysis.

"I can fix the hyperdrive and probably reinstall the navigation system...Other than that...Well, there isn't anything else to be concerned about."

"You sure know a lot for a kid." Oddball remarked, and Luke grinned.

"I love fixing things! I've been fixing things for as long as I remember."

"I can tell." Oddball stood. "Well, I have to get back to my post. I'll be back to check your progress during my break. See you then, kid!"

"Sure thing." Luke absentmindedly replied, focusing on the task at hand. He whipped out many tools that he would need and started reinstalling the system.

* * *

 **-CW-**

It wasn't long before Luke had finished. A couple hours at most. Oddball had checked on him once as he was working, but that was all that had happened. When he

had finished Luke found that the Hangar was filled with people. Younglings wandered about, touring the Hangar with their Crèche Masters, Padawans following after

their Masters who were preparing to leave on missions, and mechanics working on other ships that needed repairs. He hadn't realized how much time had passed.

Glancing at the chrono on the wall, Luke found that it was 12:00. His saber training class wasn't until 13:00, so he still had time to kill. Running a critical eye over

the starfighter, Luke ensured that he had fixed everything that the ETA-2 needed fixed. Satisfied, Luke leaned back when something caught his eye.

Tilting his head, Luke found himself staring at the hyperdrive. There was something about it that seemed...off. There was a part missing.

"The booster!" He snapped his fingers together, face-palming when he reminded himself about that part. That was a vital part of the hyperdrive! Without it, the ETA

wouldn't be able to jump into Hyperspace. Standing, Luke went to search for an energy booster. Spinning on his heel, Luke smacked into an incoming person.

Startled, Luke stumbled and fell back onto the ground with a grunt.

"What the-?" A familiar voice started and Luke looked up. He found himself staring into two eerily familiar blue eyes.

* * *

 _ **-CW-**_

Anakin Skywalker was headed for the Hangar after having met with the Council. He and Obi-Wan were being sent on yet another mission where it was rumored

Grievous had been spotted. Supposedly. He and Obi-Wan had been chasing down Grievous in the hopes of retrieving information on the Sith that could prove useful

for the Jedi to use. It had been a few months since the two Jedi had run into the General, but they knew it wouldn't be the last.

"What's the plan, General?" Rex's voice broke into his thoughts and Anakin looked to find the Clone Captain fall into step with him.

"Well, we have another mission. We've received word from Liyda that Grievous and a band of Separatists were spotted in the Desolate Plains and the Council's

sending us to check it out."

Rex nodded. "Hopefully, it's not another wild chase." The Clone Captain said. Anakin grinned.

"What do you mean, Rex? It's always a wild chase no matter what the mission is."

"Very true, General." Rex agreed. "Even the simplest of missions turns into something far more complex when you and General Kenobi are involved. No offence,

General Skywalker."

"I can't say it isn't true." Anakin admitted, letting Rex know he hadn't taken offence. All Clones and Kenobi knew Anakin thrived from the thrill of excitement and

danger while on missions. It was one of the foremost reasons they ended up into more trouble than was necessary. The two entered the Hangar, walking through

the large blaster doors and heading in the direction of Anakin's ETA-2. "I hope they have it fixed by now." Anakin muttered, making his way through the obstacle

course of ships and crates until he reached his starfighter. "Rex, tell the Clones to get ready. We leave in-" Anakin cut off when something small suddenly ran into

him. "What the-" He grunted and watched as whatever it was stumble back and fall onto the ground. Well, that definitely wasn't R2. The astrodroid usually was the

one to bump into Anakin, but the being staring up at him from the ground certainly wasn't and astrodroid. It was a kid. A young boy.

Anakin blinked. What was this boy doing in the hangar? And what was he doing around his starfighter? From the looks of it, the boy had been working on one of the

ships. His tunic was stained with dark spots, black dots decorating his youthful face and light, sandy blonde hair. Piercing blue eyes locked onto his and Anakin was

struck with how much they resembled his mother's.

Neither moved until Rex shifted. Anakin blinked again then watched as the kid slowly picked himself back up, still watching him.

"Who the Force are you?" Anakin could have face-palmed. He had nearly run over the poor kid and the first thing he does is ask who the kid was. The kid didn't say

anything, still staring at Anakin. "Um...Are you alright?" Anakin decided to ask.

Still nothing.

'W _ell, this is awkward.'_ Anakin thought to himself.

"You're the kid we found on Hoth, aren't you?" Rex's voice seemed to divert the boy's attention from him to the Clone Captain, recognition flickering in the blue orbs.

"Rex!" The boy grinned up at the Clone. Anakin looked from Rex to the boy. This was who they rescued from that Force-forsaken planet? He looked different...

Perhaps it was because when Anakin had last seen him, the boy had been severely wounded and not in good shape. He had left him in the med-bay since the Council

had decided to call him out on yet another mission.

"You look better." Rex said to the kid, who nodded.

"Thanks. If it weren't for the Clones, I probably wouldn't be." The boy said.

"We're just glad we found you in time, kid." Rex replied.

"Shouldn't you be in class?" Anakin asked, the boy returning his attention to him. The boy craned his neck up to see Anakin, and the Knight had to bite back a smirk.

"You're really tall."

Rex chuckled and Anakin didn't bother to hide the smirk. He could tell the boy was mentally berating himself for not answering his question and instead blurting the

first thing that had come into his mind.

"Or maybe you're just short." Anakin retorted, a twinkle in his eye. The boy's eyes sparkled as he pinned Anakin with a serious look.

"Sorry? Didn't hear you from way up there." He shot back. Rex and Anakin laughed at this.

"I like this one." Rex remarked, and Anakin had to agree. Even though he hardly knew the boy, he knew he would like him immediately.

"You've certainly got spunk, kid." Anakin commented. The boy shrugged in response.

' _His Force Signature...'_ Anakin thought to himself, studying the young boy. The Force enveloped the boy in a warm glow. His presence was bright, but not too

blinding. The boy basked in the white glow that was the Force, telling Anakin he was definitely a powerful one. His presence could rival that of his own, Anakin

realized, wondering if the boy had been tested yet. There was also something about the boy...Something familiar. Anakin felt that he should know him, but he had

never met him before. Except on Hoth, though the boy had been unconscious at the time.

"What's your name?" Anakin decided to ask, hoping the boy's name might tell him a little more about the kid. Maybe he would recognize the name. The boy opened

his mouth to answer when a call rang out.

"Luke!"

The three turned to see Oddball jogging in their direction, waving something in the air. Upon taking a closer look, Anakin recognized it to be an energy booster. One

specifically made for the hyperdrive of an ETA-2 interceptor. Once the Clone pilot reached them, he handed the boy, Luke, the booster.

"I found this when I was passing through the Garage. I forgot to put it into the box I gave you. Figured it might be useful." Oddball explained, and Luke took it.

Anakin was confused. Why did Oddball give Luke the energy booster? What did he need with it? Was it for a class assignment?

"This is the energy booster that was missing from the hyperdrive." Luke explained, turning the tube-like booster in his hands. "This is what the hyperdrive uses to

make the jump into hyperspace. Without it, the hyperdrive would stall and malfunction."

Anakin was taken aback. How had he known that? He watched as Luke slid underneath his ETA-2 after quietly thanking Oddball and was struck by another realization.

"Wait, he was the one who fixed my ship?!" He incredulously asked, facing Oddball. Oddball nodded.

"He's pretty skilled, General. Fixed it in no time."

Anakin looked back at his ship. It looked as good as new! The boy couldn't have fixed it. Crouching down, Anakin watched as the boy removed the cover hiding the

hyperdrive and tug at a few of the wires there. He rearranged the wires then snapped the booster into place, attaching the wires to it and the hyperdrive. He clearly

knew what he was doing. He analysed everything else that he knew had been damaged during the last battle. The engine had been carefully taken out, the

navigation system reinstalled, and the hyperdrive didn't look as if it had been obliterated like it had before.

' _Impossible...'_ Anakin found himself thinking, watching Luke in disbelief. If he hadn't been witnessing this, Anakin would have believed the mechanics had repaired his

damaged starfighter, whipping it back into shape. But no...It had been this boy who had fixed it. Glancing back up at Oddball, Anakin asked,

"Where are the mechanics?"

"I caught them during one of their breaks." Oddball explained. "When I arrived, there was no one here except the kid." He gestured to where Luke was working. "He

asked if he could take a look at it and I let him."

"You just couldn't resist..." Rex shook his head at the Clone pilot. Everyone knew Oddball had a soft spot for children. He had a hard time saying 'no' to the initiates.

"I've seen him work on the shuttles and other ships before, Captain." Oddball defended himself, a little embarrassed. Luke rolled out and gave Oddball two thumbs

up.

"It should work now." Luke said, patting the ETA when he stood. He fixed his crumpled tunic, frowning disdainfully when he realized how dirty he was. "I'd better

wash up before class." He murmured to himself, earning an amused look from Anakin. He reminded him somewhat of Obi-Wan. His former Master was known to

being meticulous with his appearance. He would do his best not to get dirty, but if getting dirtied couldn't be avoided, Obi-Wan would strive to stay as clean as

possible, which, to Anakin, was too tiresome. He didn't mind getting dirty at all. It made the missions all the more fun, in his opinion.

"What class do you have, Luke?" Anakin found himself asking.

"Biochemistry." The boy's lip curled, telling Anakin that he did not like that class at all. "I'd rather be in astrophysics."

"Wait...Biochemistry?" Anakin repeated, looking back down at the boy. "How old are you?"

"Thirteen...Almost fourteen."

' _So, he's excelled the other classes then...He has to be at least two to three years younger than everyone in that class.'_ Anakin thought to himself, impressed. But...

The boy was almost fourteen. How come he didn't have a Master? Anakin nearly face-palmed. Rex had told him the boy had had two former Masters, but both

died, the first having been killed and the second because it was his time. A pang of empathy ran through Anakin. He knew what it was like to lose someone close,

having lost his Mother. How the kid was still holding himself together, Anakin would never know.

"I hated that class." Anakin found himself saying. "Do you know the way to the shower rooms?"

Luke thought for a moment then sheepishly shook his head.

"I haven't really been shown around the Temple..." He bowed his head, a red tinge dusting his cheeks. Anakin raised an eyebrow. Luke had been here for at least

two months now. No one had given him a tour yet?

"Here, I'll show you where the shower rooms are. When is your break?" He asked, wondering why he was going out of his way for a boy he had just met. Luke tapped

his chin.

"15:00. 17:00 is Aerospace."

"That gives you two hours..." Anakin murmured aloud. "How about I give you a mini-tour of the Temple, as thanks for fixing up my starfighter?"

Luke gave him a shy smile.

"I would appreciate that, thank-you."

"Alright then. Come on." Anakin indicated for the boy to follow him. Luke jogged in order to catch up with him, glancing over his shoulder to wave at Oddball. Rex

appeared next to Anakin.

"General Kenobi has dispatched the last of his men." He reported. "He will be leaving as soon as the Council ends their session."

"Good. Tell the Clones to have everything ready by 18:00 sharp, Rex. Let Obi-Wan know that I'll be right behind him."

"Yes, sir!" Rex saluted and left. Anakin glanced down at Luke only to find the boy staring at Rex, a strange look in his eyes.

"Luke, are you alright?" He asked, feeling slightly concerned. Luke seemed to shake himself from whatever daze he was in and slowly nodded.

"M'fine." He replied, but his voice stated otherwise. Anakin could sense excitement and...was that sorrow? Emanating from Luke's Force presence.

"If you say so." Anakin shrugged and continued down the corridor in the direction of the shower rooms. It wasn't long before Anakin could hear the soft puffs of

breaths Luke was taking as the boy struggled to keep up with Anakin's long strides. He slowed his pace, allowing Luke to catch up. It was silent when they reached

the shower rooms and Luke thanked Anakin for showing him the way but before he left to take a refreshing shower, he turned back around.

"You never told me who you were."

"I never did, did I?" Anakin asked no one in particular, realizing the boy was right. "Wait, you mean...You don't recognize me?"

That was unheard of! Especially for Anakin! He was used to being swarmed by several fans, especially when he was with Obi-Wan. Literally everyone in the whole

galaxy had heard of the famous duo.

Luke tilted his head, baffled.

"Should I?"

"You don't watch the holonet, do you?"

"No...It's a waste of time and boring." Luke stated. This kid was very strange...

"Oh, well then..." Anakin straightened and allowed his trademark smirk to grace his features as he went to introduce himself. "They call me the Hero with No Fear.

I'm Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight."

* * *

 _ **So they finally meet! But how will Luke react? I hope you guys are enjoying this story! Next chapter, coming up soon!**_


	5. Startling Revelation

_**Welp, here's the next chapter!**_

* * *

 _ **-CW-**_

Luke didn't know what to think. He was frozen.

' _Wait, you don't recognize me?'_ The Jedi had asked him. Luke had been confused. Was he supposed to know this Jedi? If so, where from? And then the Jedi went on

to introduce himself.

' _They call me the Hero with No Fear,'_

That title was one Luke recognized. A title a very famous Jedi had had during the Clone Wars. And that smirk was one he knew all too well. It was the same trademark

smirk Lariss would give Luke and everyone else she crossed paths with. Lariss...Now that Luke thought about it, this Jedi was really familiar. Too familiar. There was

also a strong resemblance between him, Lariss, and the Jedi. The hair, the eyes...the facial structure...

'Dear Force! _'_ Had been Luke's first thought.

 _'I'm Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight.'_

And that was when Luke wished he could just disappear. His mind had gone blank, and for a moment, Luke was calm. Completely devoid of any emotion.

Then everything exploded.

' _WHAT!?'_ He was frantic for a moment. This man, this Jedi, was his Father?! He merely stared at the Jedi, not completely seeing him as he was still too engulfed with

his thoughts. ' _I don't believe it.'_ But there was no denying it. Luke could feel the Force whispering to him that it was him. Anakin Skywalker, before he became Vader.

Luke didn't know what to feel. Sure, he had been excited once he accepted the fact that he was stuck in the past. It meant he would see Obi-Wan again, which he

had immediately wanted to do, and he would be able to find out who his Father was before he turned. He had thought through it before. What he would do if he

should ever meet his father, that is. But now that he was here, standing in front of his Father, everything just left the poor, stunned, kid.

"-Uke?...Hey!...Luke?"

Luke blinked himself back to reality to find Anakin looking down at him, a concerned expression adorning his features. It was then he realized that after his Father

had introduced himself, Luke had been staring at him without saying a word.

"Are you alright?" Anakin found himself asking again. Luke said nothing for a moment, but that was because he was still somewhat in shock. This was not the reaction

Anakin had been expecting.

"Y-Yeah." Luke shakily replied, flashing the Jedi a forced and nervous grin. Anakin frowned. Had he done something to offend the child? Luke caught the look and was

quick to reassure him. "Sorry, I'm just...surprised, I guess. I mean, I've heard a lot about you...You're pretty famous." Luke laughed nervously, rubbing the back of

his neck. "I don't know how I didn't recognize you."

Anakin could sense there was more behind than that, and he felt a little suspicious. He had seen the many emotions that flew through the boy's blue orbs when he

had said he was Anakin Skywalker. At first, there was nothing. Then there was shock, disbelief, then grief. But the boy was shielding himself quite well, seeing as he

could just barely sense this. Though Luke appeared calm on the outside, Anakin knew he was a wreck on this inside. How he knew, he didn't know.

' _That cursed connection again!'_

Anakin muttered silently. Luke started and looked up at him.

"Sorry, did you say something?" He asked, and Anakin was taken aback, though he did his best not to show it. Checking his shields, Anakin found that they were up.

Then how had Luke hear his thought?

' _Oh no...'_ It was then Anakin felt it. The boy's emotions were clear in his mind. He could also sense the boy's thoughts, though he couldn't hear or make any sense of

them. Startled by this revelation, Anakin mentally put a reminder to speak with Obi-Wan about this unexpected turn of events. The sooner, the better.

"No." Anakin quickly replied to the boy's question. "Just making sure you were okay. You froze up there for a moment." He said as an explanation. Luke blushed

again in embarrassment.

"Sorry."

"No problem." Anakin dismissed the apology.

An awkward silence reigned for a moment before Luke shifted in the direction of the showers.

"Well, I'd better hurry. Class starts soon. Thanks again for showing me where to go!" Luke quickly spoke, and Anakin narrowed his eyes on the boy.

 _'He knows something...Or he's hiding something...And it has something to do with me, doesn't it?'_

"Sure thing. Still up for that tour later?" Anakin asked. Luke excitedly nodded. A tour, with his very own Father! This was an opportunity to get to know his father. One

Luke wouldn't pass up.

"Yeah! I mean," Luke lowered his head. mentally berating himself again. "Sorry. I'm not used to...formalities."

"Pft, who cares about formalities?" Anakin said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I most certainly don't! Besides, you're new here. No one can expect you to catch

on immediately."

Relieved, Luke gave him another smile before bidding goodbye and rushing into the shower rooms. Anakin remained there for a moment, looking where Luke had just

gone. There was something about that boy...

Shaking his head, Anakin turned and made his way to the Council Chamber. He needed to talk with Master Yoda about something...

* * *

 ** _-CW-_**

Luke leaned against the door, dropping his head back against it. He couldn't believe it! He had just met his Father! Though it wasn't exactly how he had imagined

meeting his Father...He had still met him. His heart was thumping against his chest, a tale-tell sign of his nervousness and stunned disbelief of having finally met

Anakin Skywalker. Luke had longed for years to know who his Father was...Always believing that one day, his Father would come back for him. That was before he

found out the truth from Vader. At first, Luke had been angry at Obi-Wan for keeping the truth from him, but at the same time, he understood and never held it

against the man. It was a struggle, fighting in the Rebellion. Fighting against his own Father. It hadn't taken him long to accept that Vader was his Father. Luke had

loved him. He had fought to save his Father, to help him return back to the Light. Vader had resisted, but Luke knew Anakin Skywalker had been there. The Jedi had

only locked himself away. But Luke's efforts to save his Father were futile. He had been unable to rescue him in the end. No, he had allowed himself to be subdued

by the Emperor, and then watched as Vader, now Anakin Skywalker, had lifted the Emperor and thrown him over the railings to save his son. For a moment, hope had

blossomed in Luke. He had crawled over to his Father, but when he heard the respirator wheezing, Luke knew it was too late.

Tears blurred Luke's vision, but the boy didn't wipe them away.

He had tried to get them off of the Death Star, but Vader had told him that he would never make it. Luke was in denial, not wanting to believe his own Father was

now dying before him. But in his mind, he knew it to be true. His heart just refused to accept it. Luke had taken off Vader's mask and after his father's last words,

watched as the life faded from him, his Force Signature diminishing as he became one with the Force.

It had been painful. Almost too painful. Luke had felt as though someone had ripped out a piece of him as his Father died in his arms. His whole being screamed in

anguish and pain as he felt his father's death in the Force. Lariss, who had been with them, was inconsolable. Luke had never seen her so...distraught. She blamed

herself. Blamed herself for everything. For not even trying to save her Father, for giving up too easily, and accepting that Anakin Skywalker would never return. She

had failed, or so she believed. No matter what Luke told her, Lariss would never listen.

She cast away the Force, even going as far as to cut herself from it. It was still there, but it was locked away inside Lariss. For days, Lariss remained by the pyre

Luke had built for their Father, motionless and unseeing.

Then, one day, she returned and declared that she would take it upon herself to train Luke. With the help of Ben and Lariss, Luke progressed rapidly. He soon became

a powerful Jedi, almost completely one with the Unifying Force. Lariss continued to work with him on his saber skills and Ben helped him learn the ways of the Force.

After some time had passed, Luke found himself on his own. Lariss had been rushing about the Galaxy, researching the disturbance she and Luke had been feeling

and Ben never returned to train Luke. It had worried him, but Luke knew Ben had to have had a good reason for doing so. Then Lariss returned, the Temple was

attacked, they pinned down the disturbance, and here he was.

Stuck almost two and a half decades in the past in his fourteen year old body. He knew he was supposed to keep the imbalance from happening, but how was Luke

supposed to do that if he didn't even know what the imbalance was? And where was Lariss? Had she traveled back with him?

A sudden, fearful, thought came into his mind and Luke's eyes widened in horror. Now that he was in the past, history was being rewritten! The future would cease to

exist, if it hadn't already!

Did that mean...

Was Lariss gone? Leia and Han? What of Jaina and Jacen?

Luke slid down until he plopped down against the ground. Was that why Lariss was taken away? Had the void swallowed up his link to the future in order to pull

him into the past..?

' _Lariss...Han...Everyone...'_ Luke dropped his head against his knees, suddenly feeling weak. ' _Leia...'_ He stayed there, knees pulled up to his chest, arms wrapped

around them as he wallowed in his sorrow and fear. Were they...

A tingling sensation stirred in the back of Luke's mind and Luke's head shot up in surprise. Was that...

Could it be..?

He waited with baited breath as the niggling sensation grew stronger until finally...There it was.

It was a mere, faint, whisper... But it was there.

' _...Luke?'_

* * *

 ** _-CW-_**

 ** _Short, I know, but more is on the way!_**


	6. Shuttle

_**Wheeee! I'm on a roll!**_

* * *

 _ **-CW-**_

' _...Luke?'_

Luke felt as though a huge burden had been lifted off his shoulders when he heard the voice in his mind. It was timid, uncertain.

' _Leia?'_ He softly called in return, and immediately felt feelings of overwhelming relief and worry fill his entire being. He knew these emotions were coming from Leia, but

Luke couldn't help but slump back against the door, heaving a large sigh of relief himself.

' _Luke! Are you okay? Are you hurt? Where are you? Han and I went to the Temple, but we couldn't find you or Lariss anywhere! Did something happen?'_ Leia instantly

started to ask. ' _We found some...cloaks? Lying about the corridors...But other than that, nothing else.'_ There was confusion lacing each word the Princess spoke. ' _And_

 _the Force...Something is off.'_

 _'That would be Lariss and I's doing.'_ Luke replied.

' _So, Lariss is with you?'_

' _No. I...I don't know where she is...'_

 _'Luke.'_ That tone. Even though Leia had only said his name, Luke could hear every demand that went with it. Leia wanted answers and she wanted them now. He

breathed a sigh.

 _'It started about a year ago.'_ Luke began to explain, knowing Leia was paying close attention to everything he was saying. This made his heart leap with joy! Leia

and the others were alright! They were safe. That meant the Future was still ongoing. He explained everything, from the moment he and Lariss felt the disturbance

in the Force, to Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan's explanation of the imbalance, then to the void that had taken him into the past, and Lariss's disappearance.

After he had finished, there was silence. He could sense Leia mulling over every word he had spoken, at times feeling her disbelief and sharp concern when he told

her about the Void and how Lariss was gone.

' _You mean to tell me that you've traveled back about twenty three years in time?'_ Came the slow, unbelieving, response.

' _I know it sounds impossible-'_

 _'It is.'_ Leia deadpanned. Luke deflated.

' _You have to believe me, Leia! How else do I explain this...this...'_ He frowned, trying to remember what word it was he wanted to use. It never came to mind, so Luke

gave up and continued. ' _I'll send you some of my memories.'_ He closed his eyes and concentrated, carefully selecting a few of his memories of his time spent in the

past. He showed her his rescue from the Hoth base by Clones-Which Leia was terrified to see- to his prolonged stay in the Med-bay, his classes at the Temple, and

his spare time in the Hangar. He made sure to send images of all the Jedi and Initiates he had seen, as well as a few political figures he had come across.

' _That...I can't believe it...'_ But Leia knew everything Luke had told her was nothing but the truth. Luke could just imagine Leia falling back against whatever chair she

was sitting in, trying to take all of this in. ' _Then...How are we still here?'_ She asked, baffled. ' _The past and the future shouldn't be running together.'_

She had a point, and of course, it was one Luke had already thought about.

' _I have no idea. Has anything changed?'_

 _'Here? No...Let me check.'_

Luke waited patiently, knowing Leia was looking up news from the Old Republic days.

' _Well...I can tell there are some alterations in the news...and a few slight changes in the Clone Wars, but they don't specify exactly what it is.' S_ he replied, and Luke

knew she was still scrolling through the many different Holonet news there were. ' _There's a new addition here.'_

 _'New addition?'_

 _'T he Hero with No Fear\- we all know who that is- The Negotiator, obviously Obi-Wan Kenobi, and someone called The Flame.' _Leia told him. Luke's brow furrowed. He

didn't recall anyone known as 'The Flame' during the Clone Wars. ' _There's another one...'_

 _'Oh?'_

 _' The Rogue sometimes known as 'The Spirit'...A person who was known for their ever-changing personality...Sometimes they were disapproved because of the way _

_they were but they were still r_ _ather admirable. There's more to it, but the information is classified. The Flame received their name according to this person because if _

_you looked them in the eye,_ _you could see the 'undying flame of determination_ _and hope blazing in them.' '_

 _'Interesting...I'll see if I can find out more here.'_ Luke said to her, before remembering that he had class soon. ' _Force! Sorry, Leia. But I have to go. I'll contact you_

 _later. See what else you can find out.'_

 _'Will do. And Luke,'_ Leia hesitated.

' _What is it?'_

 _'Be careful.'_ Came the response, then the link closed.

' _When am I not?'_ Luke thought to no one in particular.

* * *

 _ **-CW-**_

It had been a few days since Luke's run-in with Anakin. It was still hard for Luke to grasp the fact that he was spending time with his Father. Time Luke had always

longed to spend with Anakin Skywalker since he was a young boy. Now, his dreams were becoming reality. He was often in the hangar, fixing whatever ships came

in in order to kill more time. Every so often, Anakin would meander in and come over to him, starting a small conversation with him. Luke struggled to contain his

excitement as he spoke with his Father, learning everything he could about his idol. At times, Anakin would help Luke in repairing broken ships that were quite

difficult for Luke.

Right now, Luke was listening intently to Anakin's explanation of fixing the hyperdrive of a shuttle, not one of Luke's strong points. It was mostly because of the old

technology Luke was unaccustomed with, but he was soon able to grasp the concept of each part of the hyperdrive and the numerous many buttons that decorated

the panels of the Shuttle.

"And this is used to recharge the ion cannons-"

Luke blinked and looked up at Anakin, confused.

"Ion cannons?" He repeated, peeking out of the floor to the shuttle's wing, searching for the weapons. There were none. Anakin chuckled.

"You've never seen one of these shuttles, have you?" He smirked when Luke shook his head. "The cannons are hidden inside each wing of the shuttle." Anakin pointed

to the left and right wing, and Luke followed his gaze. Just behind the engines of the shuttle, there was a small part of the wing that was slanted at a steeper angle

than the rest of the wing. "The Council had them installed for precaution. The other shuttles would do just fine, but under heavy fire...They wouldn't stand a chance.

Especially if your opponent was flying a cruiser."

"Then you would have to rely on the speed of the shuttle." Luke stated, and Anakin nodded.

"And the skill of the pilot." The tall Jedi added. Luke glanced at him through the corner of his eye. One thing he noticed at once was his father's rather large ego. He

most certainly had one and didn't do anything to hide it. With a pang of sadness, Luke noted how Lariss was the same way. Except, she was a little more subtle than

their Father.

' _Lariss...Where are you?'_ He wondered to himself, searching for the bond he and his elder sister shared. It was nowhere to be found, sending a trill of fear and panic

coursing through his small body. Did that mean... ' _No!'_ He fiercely told himself. ' _She isn't dead.'_ He assured himself.

"Luke?" Anakin's concerned voice broke him from his thoughts and the young-not so young- boy looked up to find the Knight gazing down at him with a worried

look. "Are you alright? You had that look again."

Luke gave him a grim smile to assure him all was well. His Father, after getting to know him for some time, had told Luke that whenever he would think about his

sister-though Anakin didn't know he was thinking about his sister- that his expression would morph into a distant, worried, look. Every time Anakin would bring it

up, Luke would only tell him it was memories of his past.

"Sorry. Just...thinking."

"What about?" Anakin asked, before quickly adding, "If you don't mind telling me." He had come to know the boy quite well, and that look that would occasionally

dawn over his youthful features bothered Anakin more than he would like to admit. He had no idea why he felt such a strong connection with him and why he would

always seek Luke out during his visits to the Temple. Luke was silent for a moment, before replying,

"I was thinking about my sister."

"You have a sister?"

"I have two." Luke answered, smiling fondly as he thought of Lariss and Leia.

"Older or younger?" Anakin asked, curious to know more about Luke's mysterious family. Whenever he would ask Luke about his past, the boy always found a way

to respond rather evasively, skillfully deflecting the question and changing the subject rather quickly. Anakin supposed it was because his past was filled with much

pain and grief, seeing as the boy had lost two of his Masters. He had also recently learned his Aunt and Uncle who he had lived with on Tatooine were killed when he

was off visiting his uncle, Ben. Though he could sense some pain in Luke, he could also sense the amount of fondness and love he felt for his siblings.

They had to be close. Very close.

But...How did Luke know his siblings? Normally, Jedi would locate Force sensitives and take them from their families at a young age, no older than three most times.

Hardly old enough to have memories of their families. Unless, his sisters were Jedi too.

"One is older and one is younger by a couple of minutes." Luke said.

"Triplets?" Anakin blinked in surprise, watching as Luke nodded.

"Trust me, it came as a shock to me too." Luke laughed softly, recalling the moment he had discovered he and Lariss were twins, then learning there was a third.

"You mean...You didn't know?" Anakin questioned, tilting his head at this. Luke shook his head.

"No, I found out a few years after we were separated."

"You were separated? What for?"

"My sisters and I were separated at birth because our lives were in danger."

Anakin agreed with this. Three Force Sensitive triplets would draw a lot of attention. Including unwanted attention. Especially if the other two were as powerful as

Luke.

"One was adopted by a Senator my Father and Uncle knew well. Another stayed with...a close member of the family, and I lived with my Aunt and Uncle on

Tatooine."

"Wow." Was all Anakin could think to say, mentally slapping himself. What a dumb thing to say. "How did you find each other?"

Luke didn't bother to hide the amused smile that threatened to rise. "Well, that's a long story."

Anakin shrugged, interested to learn more. "We have time." Then, as an afterthought, said, "At least, I do. I don't know about you."

"I don't have class today." Luke breathed a sigh of relief at this. "Thank the Force." Anakin chuckled.

"Not a fan, I take it."

Luke shook his head. And so he told Anakin the tale of how he had run into Leia, doing his best to stick to the true story while altering it slightly so he wouldn't be

questioned as to why he was rescuing his sister and breaking her out of an important Imperial Station. He also did his best to change Imperial to Separatists, seeing

as the Empire had not yet risen.

'A _nd hopefully never will.'_ Luke told himself. He would save his Father from the Dark Side...He wouldn't allow Anakin Skywalker to become Vader. No matter what the

price would be, Luke was willing to pay it. Even if it meant dying in order to redeem his Father.

* * *

 _ **-CW-**_

Luke wiped the perspiration from his forehead with the sleeve of his dark tunic. He had been working nonstop on a 'high-tech' shuttle. Luke would have been able

to fix it up in no time if he had been in his time, but because this was old technology, it took him some time to familiarize himself with everything. Anakin had left

earlier when he was called by the Council for an emergency session. Anakin had looked worried and quickly patted Luke's head, telling him he would see him later.

Luke watched as Anakin rushed away then shrugged, returning to his work, determined to show the shuttle who was the boss. He was nearly finished, thank the

Force. He was beginning to get a headache from trying to figure out all of these controls. He had just twisted one of the knobs above him when the shuttle whirred

to life.

"Huh?" Luke glanced up. He knew he hadn't turned on the shuttle. The knob was supposed to stabilize the engines, not turn them on. Hearing footsteps pounding on

the ramp outside, Luke knew someone was preparing the shuttle for take off. "Who the-?!" He was starting to crawl out when the shuttle jerked and lifted off. Luke

lost his balance and slammed against the wall when the shuttle tilted upwards. "Ouch!" he grunted, waiting for the shuttle to level off before jumping out from the

floor and into the mini-corridor. "Who the Force could have taken the shuttle?" He wondered to himself, hand reaching for his saber.

His saber had miraculously shrunk in size so that he could still use it, but he wondered what would happen to it as he grew. Would it grow in size?

He supposed he would just have to wait to find out. Right now, he needed to find out who had taken the Shuttle and why. Jogging down the hallway, Luke could sense

a familiar presence growing stronger the closer he came to the cockpit. "What in the Universe is he thinking?" Luke wondered aloud, recognizing the presence at

once. He glanced out the large window to find that they were already in space and getting ready to leap into hyperspace. "This shuttle's not even fixed yet!" He

shook his head, exasperated. He had been told by Lariss that sometimes this Jedi could be a little rash in making decisions. But this, surely he knew the dangers of

taking this shuttle.

Opening the cockpit doors, Luke peered in. The pilot started, having heard the doors hiss open, and whipped his head round to see who had entered. His eyes

widened a fraction upon seeing Luke standing in the doorway.

"You were still here?" Anakin asked, and Luke shot him a look.

"It's been fifteen minutes. Of course I was still here!" Luke replied, as though it should have been obvious.

"Sithspit." Anakin cursed. There was no way he could turn around now. The shuttle had just jumped into hyperspace and was now headed for his intended

destination. To turn around would put his mission peril. The chrono was ticking. Time he didn't have to spare.

"Is something wrong?" Luke quietly asked, and Anakin looked to him again, marveling at how much he resembled himself when he was a kid. Only, he didn't have

the ridiculous Padawan cut.

"Take a seat, Luke." He said, gesturing the the co-pilot seat next to him. Luke quickly did as he was told, strapping himself in before turning to Anakin expectantly.

Anakin sighed. "The Council called me in for an emergency session, as you probably already know." At Luke's nod, he continued, wondering why he was telling the

kid this. "I was supposed to undertake a mission to Felucia with Obi-Wan-You do know Master Kenobi, right?"

"Yes!" Luke replied, a little too enthusiastically. Anakin gave him a grim smile. Obi-Wan could charm people without even doing anything. It was something Anakin

noticed the most about Obi-Wan. You could see him in the hallway and he would only smile, acknowledge, or call out a greeting and all of a sudden, he would have

a place in their heart. Not that it was surprising to Anakin. When he had first met Obi-Wan, they weren't exactly on good terms, but after some time, the two had

grown close. Obi-Wan was both a brother and a father figure to Anakin.

"Obi-Wan went ahead. He heard rumors that the Separatist were setting up bases on Felucia."

"Bases?" Luke repeated, tilting his head. The way Anakin emphasized the word told him there was more to these bases than met the eye. Anakin nodded, catching

the gist of Luke's thinking. The boy had strong shields, but for some reason, Anakin could read him with barely any trouble. He had gone to speak with Yoda about

that, but then the emergency session was put in place. He'd have to contact Master Yoda later.

"These bases aren't just military bases. The Separatists found some sort of chemical on Felucia and are transforming it into a weapon of sorts."

"That doesn't sound good." Luke remarked lowly.

"Yeah. The chemical shuts down a person's internal organs one-by-one until they all collapse. The victim dies slowly and once they are dead, the body is mutated

to create a living-dead-living? Specimen of sorts." Anakin tried to explain. Luke shuddered. That sounded very creepy. A living-dead type specimen?

"Why not blow the bases?" Luke asked. "You could get rid of this chemical once and for all, couldn't you? And these...specimens."

"That's what Obi-Wan thought." Anakin said, gripping the wheel of the shuttle tightly. "They found out the hard way that the chemical was flammable."

"That could be a problem." Luke murmured, catching the worried gleam in Anakin's eyes. "There's more..."

" Obi-Wan and his men ran into some trouble while infiltrating the bases." Anakin said. "They managed to set the charges and blew the bases but Cody, Obi-Wan's

second in command," Anakin paused for a moment, and Luke could sense the worry his Father was beginning to feel. There was also anger. "Cody reports that

Obi-Wan never made it out after they blew the bases." Anakin finished.

* * *

 ** _-CW-_**

 ** _Another chapter done...Whew. Okie, so the next one should be up soon. I hope this one was okay!_**


	7. Felucia

_**WHEEEEEE! Hello, my fellow readers! I am back with a new chapter!  
Luke is now on a mission to find Obi-Wan with Anakin, but when they arrive on Felucia, they run into some trouble. **_

* * *

_**-CW-**_

"This isn't good." Anakin uttered, breaking the heavy silence that hung over the two. Luke twisted himself in his seat to see what had caught his Father's eye. They had

just dropped out of hyperspace and were just about to reach Felucia when Anakin had spoken. Peering over the control panel, Luke found that it was heavily barricaded.

A blockade.

"Those are the Separatists?" Luke questioned aloud, studying each of the huge Separatist ships he saw. Anakin nodded, a scowl marring his features.

"Those would be the Separatists." He confirmed, analyzing the blockade for any kind of weakness he could find. His eye caught onto the insignia on the ship furthest

from them and he let out a surprised huff. "What do you know? It's Grievous himself." He announced, mostly to himself.

"Grievous?" Luke repeated, looking to Anakin, hoping for an explanation.

"General Grievous. He, for whatever reason, holds a grudge against Obi-Wan. It's no surprise he's behind this." Anakin bitterly informed Luke, who blinked. He could feel the anger and flash of worry emanating from his Father's presence, and it worried him. His father, he was quick to observe, never reigned in his emotions, or controlled them. Sometimes, he would take a moment to calm himself, but most of the time, Anakin allowed his emotions to run wild. If he wasn't careful, Luke knew, it would cause a lot of trouble later on.

"I'm sure Master Kenobi is fine, Master Skywalker." Luke tried to appease his Father's worry. Master Skywalker...It was so odd to say that. He wanted to tell his Father everything, spill every one of his secrets out, but Luke knew that he couldn't. He couldn't let his Father know who he was. It was torture for Luke. After all, all he wanted in his life was to have his Father. But, Luke would settle for spending time with his Father without his Father knowing his true identity. If that was all the Force would allow, Luke would live with it.

' _You would have loved this, Lariss.'_ Luke thought to himself, a sad smile finding its way on his lips. ' _Spending time with Father...He's exactly the way you said he_ _was...'_ Oh, how he missed her. He had kept in contact with Leia, seeing as they could miraculously still talk to one another through the bond, but Leia had told him that there was no sign of Lariss anywhere. Leia couldn't even sense her. It frightened them. Not knowing whether Lariss was alive or dead. In the short time that the two had gotten to know Lariss, the girl had immediately wormed her way into their hearts. Leia was ecstatic to learn she had an elder Sister, as was Luke. Lariss had immediately slipped into her role as being the eldest of the three, but she was very laid back.

Sometimes.

She gave them space when she knew they needed it and she was always empathetic. When trouble would rise and place either Luke or Leia in danger, Lariss was there to batter the threat down. Luke wondered what would have happened had Lariss not rescued him on Bespin. When Luke had learned that Vader was his Father, Luke had risked his life by jumping in order to escape. He would rather die than join the Dark Side. Lariss had jumped after him, grabbing hold of Luke and using the Force to push them into a ventilation shaft. They plummeted at least hundreds of feet before Lariss caught hold of the metal pole beneath Cloud City. Luke called for Leia through the Force, but he wasn't sure if she had heard him or not. Lariss refused to release Luke when her grip was slipping, determined to save her brother's life, and soon, Leia came with the Falcon. After ensuring Luke was safe and staying for his operation, Lariss left to return to Vader. It was then the Emperor learned of her betrayal and set out to kill her.

When Luke had found Lariss, he had thought it was too late. She was too severely injured. He had been convinced, for some time, that Lariss was on her death bed. But of course, Lariss pulled through. It was a miracle, and Luke thanked the Force for it. He couldn't bear losing anyone else. He had already lost so much...

"Hey, Luke,"

Luke shook his head when a voice broke through his thoughts, turning to find Anakin giving him a concerned glance.

"You alright?"

How many times had his Father asked him that? Casting Anakin a small smile, Luke nodded.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Just...thinking." He offered as an excuse.

"Some thinking." Anakin commented, maneuvering the shuttle through the blockade. Luke was surprised. How had they made it this far through the blockade without being spotted? Anakin smirked, catching the look on Luke's face. "The Separatists are full of idiots. Their droids are practically useless." Anakin indicated to the massive ships they were passing. "Those ships are filled with droids. They aren't exactly the brightest..."

"If we've gotten this far without them seeing us, I would imagine so." Luke agreed. "Hopefully, it'll stay that way." He said under his breath, but Anakin heard him.

"You shouldn't have said-" Anakin began, but was interrupted when alarms suddenly wailed from the nearby Separatist ships and Anakin rolled his eyes.

"You just had to say that, didn't you?" He shook his head, tilting the wheel forward so the shuttle dived steeply.

"What?"

"You jinxed us." Anakin declared, but he didn't seem at all annoyed.

"I did?" Luke looked forward, not at all bothered by the suicidal manner Anakin was flying the shuttle. The shuttle twisted and spun through a group of vulture droids, somehow never getting hit by the onslaught of blaster fire that was shot their way.

"Oh well." Anakin shrugged, excitement evident as he sent the shuttle in yet another dive, twisting so they were gliding against the underbelly of one of the massive Separatist ships. "Think you could fend them off for a bit?"

Luke barely managed a nod when Anakin abruptly slammed on the brakes, sending Luke flailing forward in his seat. "Wh-What are you doing?!" Luke exclaimed, his heart pounding from the sudden stop, watching as the vulture droids breezed right past.

"Getting us out of this mess. Now, take care of those droids." Anakin replied, waiting for the vulture droids to curve round to fly at them. Luke huffed, scanning the control panel. He found the control to the ion canon and flicked it on, the miniature screen flickering to life not a second afterwards. He listened to the screaming of the vulture droids as they sped towards them, wondering what Anakin was waiting for. He watched the screen in front of him, waiting for the moment a vulture droid would come into target. Two of them just barely came into focus on the screen when Luke fired, a trill of exhilaration spiraling down his spine as he continued shooting down every enemy he could. "Nice shot." Anakin complimented when several vulture droids exploded, and Luke felt a flutter of pride from it. Anakin took this opportunity to press down on the accelerator, the shuttle jerking and suddenly flying through the explosion and diving sideways towards Felucia. Luke slammed back against his seat then felt his stomach churning when Anakin recklessly dove through another group of enemy crafts, weaving in and out of the maze of ships.

"We're almost there..." Anakin murmured, pushing the wheel forward, the shuttle slanting forward. Luke continued to fire the canons, bringing down enemy after enemy with ease. Inwardly celebrating each small victory he would achieve, Luke performed a small dance in his seat, earning an amused glance from Anakin. Luke flushed in embarrassment when Anakin chuckled at him. Thankfully, he was only 'fourteen,' so he could get away with his victory dance, but had he done that when he was his twenty-year old self and his Father caught him doing it...

"What?" Luke defensively said, but Anakin shook his head, laughing a bit.

"Nothing." The Jedi Knight replied and Luke shot him a disbelieving look. "You're just...an interesting kid, is all." Anakin smoothly said.

"You think I'm gonna believe that?" Luke scoffed. "You were laughing at me."

"I was not." Anakin lied, pretending to be affronted by the accusation. Luke glared and Anakin rolled his eyes. "Alright, so I was. But seriously..."

"I know." Luke grumbled, his sun-gold complexion turning a suspicious shade of red. That was when Luke destroyed another five vulture droids and punched the air in victory. "HAHA! I got them!" He cheered, haughtily peering down at the screen. "Too bad Han's not here to see that."

"Who's Han?" Anakin asked and Luke nearly cursed for the slip-up. Then, Luke was momentarily horrified that he had almost cursed that he forgot to answer Anakin's question. Because, Luke Skywalker never cursed. No. He absolutely abhorred cursing. It was one of the reasons he and Han would bicker while on missions.

"A smuggler I know." Luke replied, earning a raised eyebrow from Anakin.

"A smuggler?"

"Long story." Luke shrugged just as they entered the Felucia atmosphere. He peered over the panel and stared at all of the smoke they were greeted with as Anakin directed the shuttle to where they were supposed to meet Commander Cody. Anakin frowned deeply, worry creasing his brow.

"I suppose those are the bases they blew." Anakin grimly stated. Luke said nothing, staring at the pink-ish smoke that mixed with the black.

"And that would be the virus, um, thing?" He quietly asked, Anakin nodding in response.

"Unidentified aircraft, identify yourself." A voice cracked over the com. Anakin clicked on it and the blue figure of a Clone appeared.

"Commander Cody, this is Anakin Skywalker."

"General Skywalker!" Cody sounded rather relieved when he saw that it was indeed Anakin. "We've been waiting your arrival, sir."

"What's the situation?" Anakin asked, immediately getting down to business. Cody shook his head.

"Not good, General. General Kenobi is nowhere to be found, sir. My men have been searching for hours, but we haven't found any leads."

"I'll be there soon, Cody. We've just exited the atmosphere-" Anakin was interrupted when the shuttle abruptly jerked in the air, alarms blaring and red lights flashing, informing them that something had hit them. "What the?!"

Luke immediately looked to the radar. "Vulture droids!" He hissed, listening as they screamed past the shuttle. Anakin muttered something under his breath, something Luke suspected to be a Huttese curse, and yanked the wheel sharply to the left. The shuttle careened to the side as Anakin fought to control it.

"Sith! They've hit the right engine." Anakin growled, his hand flying over the controls above them, trying to turn on the emergency engine.

"General Skywalker?"

"Looks like we'll be a little late, Cody." Anakin told the Clone, and Luke was surprised by how calm Anakin was seeing as they were plummeting towards the ground. Another hit told Luke that the vulture droids had knocked out their other engine. "Well..." Anakin started as the craft started speeding downwards, making Luke scoot further into his seat. His stomach was twisting and knotting in a most uncomfortable manner and he did not like it. "Prepare yourself for a rough landing."

"Rough landing?" Luke repeated, incredulous. "The shuttle will explode if we hit!" He shut his eyes as the shuttle started spinning, his vision going wild from the sensation. Sure, he had his fair share of crash landings and being shot down, but he would never get used to it. Anakin pulled the wheel in his direction, forcing the shuttle to level out somewhat. "Force!" He grit his teeth together, watching as his Father continued to mess with several different buttons of varying colors, before his fist pounded against the panel.

"Force-forsaken piece of junk!" He insulted the shuttle. "I knew I shouldn't have taken you but you were the only thing I could get!" He swiveled around to face Luke. "Come on." He unbuckled himself and rushed out of the cockpit, Luke sprinting after him. They reached the cargo hold, Anakin slamming his hand against the button nearby. The carbon bay opened and Anakin ran to the platform, Luke close behind, realization dawning over the younger boy.

"We're...not jumping, are we?" He slowly asked, raising his head to look at Anakin.

"We don't have a choice." Anakin replied, in a tone that told Luke that he had done this plenty of times before. Luke hadn't. He'd only jumped twice with Lariss after one of their missions had gone wrong -surprise, surprise- and had only learned the basics of 'skydiving'-as Lariss called it. "Just stick close to me and you should be fine."

Luke threw him a disbelieving look. Since when are Skywalkers ever 'fine?' As in, safe and sound, cautious...never. Luke had yet to return from a mission unscathed! His record was four cuts. Lariss managed to leave a mission with one gash, much to Luke's dismay. The two always were having a competition with one another, and Luke wanted to be the first to come out with no injuries whatsoever. Anakin was silent as they watched the ground speed by as the shuttle tumbled through the air, calculating the correct height they should jump at. The fungi Luke could see blurred as they sped past, a mixture of blue, gold, and green flashing by.

"Ready?" Anakin shouted over the wind.

"As ready as I'll ever be!" Luke called in return. Anakin nodded and then leaped off of the platform, leaving Luke to watch him before remembering that he needed to follow. ' _He tells me to stick close to him, but how can I if he keeps going ahead?'_ He grumbled in his mind, spreading his arms as he dived down. He tucked his arms against his sides, tilting himself forward in order to increase speed, leveling himself out a bit when he caught up with Anakin. Anakin pointed to a black dot below them, silently telling Luke that that was the base they were to meet Cody and the other Clones in. He nodded to tell Anakin he understood and followed the Knight as they continued to freefall through the air.

That was when Luke remembered something.

Something he should have told Anakin before they had jumped.

He had no idea how to land.

' _Sithing kriffing-'_

 _'LUKE SKYWALKER!'_

Luke started when he heard Leia's voice thunder in his mind, scandalized.

' _Oops...'_ Was all Luke could utter, before cheerfully greeting his sister in a cheerful manner. ' _Hello to you too, Leia!'_

 _'Luke, if I ever hear those words come out of your mouth again, I am going to-'_

 _'Now's not the time, Leia. I need to concentrate.'_ Luke cut in, noticing that the ground was coming in faster than he would like.

'W _hat are you doing?'_ Leia asked, curious.

' _Skydiving. I'm on a mission with-'_ Luke then cut himself off. He knew Leia still held a healthy dose of hatred towards Vader after everything he had done to her. He and Lariss had both explained that Vader was not the same man as their Father, but Leia was still not comfortable enough to call him her Father. How would she react if he was to tell her that he was with their Father at this very moment?

' _Wiiith?'_ Leia dragged the word out, pressing Luke to finish his sentence. He sighed, deciding it wouldn't be wise to hide anything from Leia. It would irk her to no end and she would continue to pester him until he gave her an answer to satisfy her curiosity.

' _I'm with Father.'_

He answered, waiting with dread for the response that was sure to come.

There was silence and Luke could sense Leia working with the shock she was feeling and the other emotions she was struggling with. There was uncertainty, slight fear, apprehension, and...The warming sensation of love was what struck Luke the most out of all those feelings.

' _I'm happy for you, Luke.'_

 _'Leia?'_ Came the confused reply.

' _You've always wanted to know Anakin Skywalker, the Hero With No Fear. To tell you the truth, Luke...I have too.'_

 _'But...Vader...'_

Leia chuckled softly. ' _I know. I've been thinking over everything you and Lariss have been telling me and I...I came to realize that the two of you are right. Vader wasn't our Father. I've had a lot of time to think over a lot, Luke. I'm sorry for before...The way I acted-'_

 _'Your reaction was completely justifiable, Leia. Lariss and I understood your anger. There's no need to apologize.'_ Luke quickly assured Leia and felt himself grin when Leia gave an exasperated sigh.

' _You're too kind, Luke. One of these days, your kindness will be the death of you. And your selflessness!'_

 _'Better than being selfish.'_ Luke retorted.

' _Yes, but, Luke! Sometimes, you need to look after yourself! i'm worried that you're going to hurt yourself one of these days or...Or never come back.'_

There was silence as Luke mimicked Anakin's moves. He could sense his Father calling upon the Force to slow his descent and did the same, putting his hand out in front of him and using the Force to stop himself a few feet above the ground. Once his feet touched the ground, Luke inwardly celebrated his touchdown. He had actually managed to do it without any help! If only Lariss were there to see it.

"Come on, Luke." Anakin's voice sounded, breaking through Luke's thoughts. He turned to see Anakin already heading for the base and hurried to catch up.

' _You don't need to worry about that, Leia. I know what I'm doing. I can change the future for the better.'_

 _'Or the worse, Luke. Tread carefully,'_ Leia warned. ' _We don't know exactly what transpired, what events caused our Father to fall. Lariss does but...'_ Leia trailed off, a pang of sorrow and worry echoing through the bond before she continued. ' _Just be careful, Luke.'_ She said, stressing the word 'careful.' ' _Who knows what could happen? If you do anything, you could trigger a chain of events that won't be irreversible. You have one shot at this.'_

Luke sobered, understanding the importance and fragility of his task. He was treading on thin ice. One wrong move, and everything could shatter.

* * *

 _ **-CW-**_


	8. Trouble

_**The Separatists are out to get them, cornering the Clones, Anakin, and Luke in three separate bases. Aayla Secura, the only Jedi Knight close enough to offer reinforcements informs Anakin that they will come to their aid within three hours. But Anakin can't wait three hours. If they don't find Kenobi, Obi-Wan could be in danger of becoming a victim to the virus itself. And Anakin fears that he may already be too late.**_

* * *

 _ **-CW-**_

How had this happened? Luke found himself wondering as he sat on the control panel in Head Base. Swinging his legs back and forth, Luke nonchalantly studied each Clone he was with. Luckily, Rex was with him, as was Oddball, Flash, and Whiz. There were two others, but they were patrolling. It had happened rather quickly. He and Anakin had arrived at Cody's base and were informed on everything that had happened and their success in the search to find Obi-Wan. They had found evidence that Obi-Wan was still alive, but trapped in the quarantined facility not too far from the bases. No one could put forth a rescue, however, seeing as the Separatists had placed heavy reinforcements around the whole area. Besides, Felucia was still an unknown planet to outsiders. There was hardly any information available about the planet, so they had no way of knowing any potential threats or dangers that lingered in the fungi-like forests.

The next thing Luke knew, the Clones and Anakin were trying to cross through a smal Fungi forest when they were attacked and he, as well as Rex and the five other Clones, were separated from everyone else. They had retreated as far as they could until they stumbled across Head Base and took refuge there. Now, they were waiting until Rex could contact Anakin. Communications were jammed, of course, and there was no way Luke and the Clones would be heading back into the Fungi anytime soon. Unless they had a death wish. Luke, however, was keeping himself occupied. Not wanting the Clones to do all the work, Luke set out to mentally map out the entire area. Using the Force, Luke had sent out a mental wave that covered several hundred feet in order to see if there were any lifeforms nearby. Nothing picked up on his mental radar.

He sighed. That didn't help them at all. He had no way of knowing if the droid army was still out there, waiting for them to flee from their base or if they had returned to their facility. Droids couldn't be picked up by Luke's mental wave, seeing as they weren't live beings and he didn't want to risk any lives by sending Clones to check the Fungi out. If Head Base hadn't been severely damaged, they would have been able to use the holo-radar, but nothing worked in Head Base other than the emergency generators.

Luke worried his lower lip, trying to think of what else he could do. They had no way of knowing where the others were or how many were left. They didn't know if General Skywalker hadn't been injured and would need aid. He slumped back against the controls, shifting when some of the buttons and levers dug painfully into his back.

He was growing rather bored, but immediately chastised himself for not being patient. He sighed and decided meditation was in order. Crossing his legs, Luke allowed his eyes to drift shut as he sank deep into meditation, calling upon the Force to guide him.

* * *

 ** _-CW-_**

It wasn't long before Luke was rudely shaken from his meditation. Furiously blinking away the blurriness in his vision, Luke looked to find Rex and the Clones rushing about the Head Base.

"Is something wrong?" He asked. Rex paused before him, long enough to reply.

"The Base is surrounded, Sir." Luke frowned at this. How had he missed that? Surely, he would've sensed they were in some kind of danger. "Our scouts returned just before they attacked." Just as the Clone had finished speaking, the Base trembled violently when a rather large blast hit it.

"Blast it!" Whiz growled, carefully peering out the window to find hundreds of Droids outside. He turned to look at the others, shaking his head. "There's no way we can go against them."

"You never know." Luke calmly told him, used to being in these sorts of situations. "I'm certain there is something we can do."

Rex and the Clones stared at Luke, amazed with how calm he appeared.

"You have any suggestions, Luke?" Oddball asked, tossing Flash, Boiler, and Waxer a couple of blasters. Luke pondered over this for a moment, tapping his chin.

"I think...I might." He slowly told them. "But first, we have to get to the Landing Pad."

The Clones glanced at one another. "That'll be a bit difficult." Flash remarked, and Waxer nodded his head.

"There are a bunch of clankers out there just waiting to shoot us." He said. "But there was a shuttle and one of the General's ETA interceptor."

Luke hopped down from where he was perched and clipped his lightsaber back onto his belt.

"If we can reach the shuttle and the interceptor, we just might be able to locate the others." He told the Clones, heading out of the Control Room. "I have a feeling we might find them at the Facility."

"If you say so, Kid." Rex said. Luke smiled slightly at the nickname. It reminded him of when he had first met Han. Now that he thought back at that moment, Luke wasn't at all surprised that that was the name Han had dubbed him. He had certainly acted as a kid back then. Impulsive, reckless, arrogant... But all that changed during the duration of the Rebellion. He had grown exceedingly after the Rebellion, becoming known as the Wise Jedi. Leia had become a renowned politician and Han had put aside his past as a smuggler to raise their children. He wondered what they were doing now, Han and Leia. He could always ask Leia, but Luke knew she was being kept busy with the rebuilding of the Republic.

 _'I can always make time to talk to you, Luke.'_ Leia's voice resounded in his mind.

' _Sorry, Leia. Was I thinking out loud?'_ Luke asked his sister, checking his shields. To his surprise, he found that they were down. Any Force Sensitive would have been able to hear his thoughts!

' _It's alright. I was going to contact you anyways.'_ Leia assured him. ' _We still can't find Lariss and I can't sense her anywhere, Luke. I don't think she's in the future anymore.'_

Luke felt hope stir within him.

' _Do you think she might be here, with me?'_ He asked Leia.

' _I think so. Have you been searching for her?'_

Luke's shoulders drooped a little.

' _I've searched everywhere! I can't find her. I can't even sense her.'_

 _'Have you tried contacting her?'_

Luke stopped for a moment, suppressing the urge to face-palm. Oh, he was so stupid! Seriously?! Luke had spent all of this time searching for Lariss and never once stopped to actually call out to his sister through their bond? What kind of brother was he?!

' _You did have a lot on your mind, Luke. Travelling to the past isn't a small thing-'_

 _'That's no excuse, Leia! I could have found Lariss faster! All this time I spent searching for her...And all I had to do was use the bond.'_ Luke felt a tap on his shoulder and looked to find Rex standing beside him. The Clones were looking at him, all concerned.

"Huh?"

"You okay, Kid?" Rex asked.

"Yeah, you zoned out for a minute there, Luke." Oddball told him and Luke felt himself redden.

"I'm fine. Sorry." Luke apologized, walking briskly in the direction of the Landing Pad, the Clones following behind him.

' _Luke...'_ Leia hesitated for a moment. ' _If Lariss was there, wouldn't she have tried to contact you?'_ She asked.

' _That would have been the first thing Lariss would have done.'_ Luke told Leia, a new sense of worry rising. Lariss, if she had been trapped in the past, would've automatically called out to Luke to see if he was alright. But she hadn't. For nearly three months, the bond had been silent. Too silent.

Neither Luke nor Leia said anything for a moment.

' _You don't think...That she could be trapped in between time, do you?'_ Leia slowly asked, fear evident in her tone. Luke crushed his fear down to appease his sister.

' _No...I'm certain she's fine...She has to be around here somewhere.'_ He concentrated for a moment then opened the bond between he and Lariss. There was nothing. No sense of warmth flowed through the bond, no sound, no nothing. It was only cold and quiet. _'Lariss?'_ He called out.

He waited.

There was nothing.

Luke's heart sank. That could mean one of two things. Lariss was gone, or Lariss was, as Leia had said, trapped between times. Just as he was about to close the bond, seeing that he and the Clones were nearing the Landing Pad, Luke felt a small ripple through the bond. His head snapped up, eyes widening a fraction.

Warmth.

The same warmth that always enveloped Luke whenever Lariss would contact him or respond to his silent call. It was small, faint, but it was there. It was quickly followed by a wave of relief before it was cut off, but this didn't concern Luke. He had felt Lariss!

' _Luke?'_ Leia's voice sounded in the background, sensing her brother's spirit lift. ' _What is it? Did you find anything?'_

 _'She's here, Leia! I sensed her!'_ Luke excitedly gushed. He immediately felt an overwhelming sense of relief and joy flow through the bond. Leia was practically glowing from the news.

' _That's wonderful, Luke! She has to be with you!'_

 _'And I will find her!'_ Luke firmly declared, sealing the promise with a wave of determination that flowed through the bond to Leia. He could just imagine Leia bounding over to wherever Han was to tell him the news.

' _I know you will. I have to go now, Luke. Be careful!'_

 _'Aren't I always?'_

 _'No.'_

And with that, Leia pulled away, leaving Luke alone to focus on the task at hand. Now feeling more confident than before, Luke opened the blaster doors to allow him and the Clones through another corridor. A large burden had been lifted from Luke's shoulder now that he knew that Lariss was here. He only needed to find her.

"That's the door that leads to the Landing Pad." Waxer's voice cut into his thoughts, and Luke came to a stop before the blaster doors. He called upon the Force to work on the mechanism of the door before forcing them open. The doors slid open to reveal several Separatist droids wandering about the platform.

"Um...Kid...You do realize we don't have any cover, right?" Whiz asked as he and the Clones immediately leaped to the side to hide. Luke, however, remained out in the open. None of the Droids had noticed him, much to his surprise.

"This should be easy." Luke murmured under his breath, turning to look at the Clones. "I'll provide a distraction. You guys head to the shuttle." He said, igniting his emerald saber.

"Wait, Kid-" Rex reached out to stop Luke, but he was already gone, jumping high into the air and landing in the center of all the Droids. He stood, surprised once again when no Droid noticed him.

 _The Separatists actually send these things to do their work?_ He found himself wondering. Well, time to make himself known. He grinned and sliced through a nearby droid, earning its companion's attention.

"Hey-" The Droid was unable to finish since Luke had decapitated it and leaped onto the next one. He stabbed it through and leaped high into the air, spinning when he landed on the ground, slicing five other droids in half.

"Jedi!" One Droid cried out before it was sent flying over the edge of the platform. Its cry had attracted every droid's attention, as Luke had hoped, and now all of them were attempting to shoot him. Luke easily dodged each blaster shot, skillfully weaving through the mass of Droids and destroying handfuls at a time. Rex and the Clones stared in amazement as Luke practically danced across the platform, his movements smooth and precise, but somewhat shaky. He was skilled, they would have to admit. Rex shook his head and signaled for the Clones to make for the shuttle. Stealthily moving forward, the Clones sought cover behind large crates then hurriedly moved to the next crate, slowly making their way towards the shuttle. All the while, Oddball kept a close eye on Luke, making sure the Kid would be safe. So far so good.

Half of the Droids had been destroyed by the time the Clones reached the shuttle and quickly boarded it, Oddball immediately heading for the cockpit. Rex was just about to enter when he heard the faint, metallic, sound of something bouncing against the platform. He recognized it immediately.

"Kid!" He shouted just as an explosion rocked the platform, sending Rex sailing back into Waxer. The Clones stared in disbelief, waiting for the smoke to clear. Abruptly, they saw a faint emerald green light flashing before Luke erupted from smoke, waving his arm at the Clones.

"Take-off!" He cried. "Take-off!"

The Clones were about to object when they saw what was behind the Kid. There was no way they could go against that!

"Oddball!" Rex called, keeping an eye on the tall, looming, shadow above them.

"I'm going!" Oddball called back, slamming the lever down, the shuttle jerking as it zipped forward and off of the landing pad.

"Turn around!" Rex shouted over the engine. "The Kid's gonna have to jump in!"

"Right!" Oddball sharply nodded, curving the shuttle around to circle about the platform. The pilot dipped the shuttle and maneuvered it about in order to avoid being hit as the Droids and large spider droids shot at it. Oddball peered out the cockpit window, hoping to see Luke running for the ship, but Luke was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's the Kid?!" Waxer shouted as he and Boil leaned out of the shuttle, scanning the platform for Luke.

Boil shook his head, concerned. "I don't see the Kid anywhere!"

"The General's interceptor is missing!" Flash suddenly announced, pointing to the area where the black ETA interceptor used to be. "Do you think he took it?"

"I don't know who else could have!" Whiz replied. Rex shook his head. General Skywalker was bad enough. It would be even worse if a mini-version of Skywalker were to tag along. The sound of an incoming fighter caused the Clones to look up and see Luke zipping towards them in the ETA interceptor.

"Luke!" Oddball sighed in relief, switching on the communications between the shuttle and the interceptor. "Are you alright, Kid?"

"I'm fine." Luke's voice crackled over the com. "We need to move east. I sense Master Skywalker is over there."

* * *

 _ **-CW-**_

Anakin growled in frustration. He was going to rip out his hair if these stupid Droids kept getting in his way! He was so close! So close to rescuing Obi-Wan! Cody and the Clones had rounded up, counted their men, then rejoined with Anakin a few hours after they had gotten separated. Anakin had asked for Cody's report and learned that Rex, as well as twelve other Clones, had gone missing. He was worried for Rex and the Clones until he remembered the little one that he had accidentally brought with them. Anakin had nearly panicked then, scanning the area for any sign of Luke, only to find that he was nowhere in sight. He immediately sent out a call through the Force to see if he could sense the boy.

Nothing.

Which, to Anakin, could mean one of two things. One, Luke was with Rex and they were trapped somewhere, or two...Luke was dead. Anakin hoped it was the former. If Luke was dead, Anakin didn't know what he would do. He had bonded well with the boy during their trip to the planet and Anakin could feel his link with the boy growing stronger. It unnerved him. Why was this even happening? He had never met the boy and yet, they already had a bond. Now, Anakin really wished he had Obi-Wan with him. Obi-Wan would know. Obi-Wan knew everything!

Anakin sighed and started to pace, his worry for both Luke and Obi-Wan growing by the second. Right now, he and the Clones were stuck outside of the Separatist facility. He was certain Obi-Wan was here. He could feel his Force presence somewhere beneath them. It was weak, but it was there, assuring Anakin that Obi-Wan was alive.

"General!" Cody approached him, startling Anakin from his thoughts. Anakin quickly recovered and acknowledge the Commander.

"Cody. Did you find anything?" He asked, trying not to sound too concerned. Cody pulled out his com-link.

"Sir, there was an incoming transmission coming from Head Base." Cody reported, pointing to the red dot blinking in the holographic image the com-link produced. "It's an emergency signal."

Anakin felt relief fill him. It had to be Luke and the others!

"We have reason to believe Captain Rex and...Commander Luke?- Are there."

"Thank the Force." Anakin breathed, turned so he could look towards the West. He and the Clones could just barely make out the Head Base through the ginormous fungi around them, but they could see the top of the base. "Can you contact them?" He asked. Cody shook his head.

"Transmission's jammed." He explained, and Anakin cursed.

"Of course." He muttered. Those cursed Separatists! "Get the men ready to move, Cody. We're going to infiltrate the facility." Anakin ordered the Clone. They couldn't spare another moment. Obi-Wan's life depended on this rescue, and for once, Anakin had actually put in the time to plan out a rescue instead of improvising.

 _'I actually planned something...Obi-Wan would be proud.'_ Anakin thought to himself, a grim smile on his lips. The smile faded. ' _But every time I plan something, it always turns into a disaster...Scratch that...anytime I do anything, it turns into a disaster.' _And the grim mood was back.

Cody saluted and turned to command the troops when an explosions rocked the ground. Clones tripped and crashed onto the ground while Anakin fell against a tall fungi.

"The Base!" One Clone's shout sounded, and Anakin whipped his head in the direction of Head Base. His heart sank when he saw thick, black, smoke rising from the building.

"Force..." He uttered, breaking the silence that had fallen over the troops. They stood still for a minute when another explosion shook the ground again. A second pillar of smoke rose from the Base. They waited for a few tense moments, expecting the base to blow, but it never did.

"You don't think..." A Clone beside Anakin murmured, trailing off when his companion shook his head.

"I don't know, Wreck. But if the Separatists aren't bombing them anymore..." The Clone didn't finish his sentence, knowing his brothers caught the drift. Anakin bit his lower lip. They couldn't be dead! Rex was still alive! He had to be! Anakin thought to himself. And if Luke was with Rex, they were sure to have already escaped. Anakin didn't know why, but he already trusted the boy. He was sure Luke had planned an escape. As if to prove Anakin was right, Cody pointed in the air.

"Sir!"

Anakin looked up, watching in amazement as a shuttle, closely followed by an ETA-2, came zooming towards them.

"They escaped!" The Clones shared relieved grins and Anakin heaved a sigh of relief. The shuttle circled around them before diving down and landing. Almost at once, Rex and the other Clones dropped down to the ground. Oddball shut down the engines and followed after his brothers, who were now being swarmed by the Clones with General Skywalker.

"It's good to see you, Rex." Cody greeted the Captain. Rex nodded.

"If it weren't for the Kid, I'm not sure we'd be here." Rex admitted, looking over to where Luke was landing the ETA. Anakin jogged over to Luke when the teen hopped out of the starfighter.

"Master Skywalker." Luke bowed. Anakin gripped his shoulder.

"Thank the Force you are safe! You are uninjured, correct?" he asked, scanning Luke over with the Force.

"Other than a few burns and bruises, I'm fine." Luke answered. Anakin finished his scan and frowned.

"Those burns are serious." He said, but Luke shook his head.

"We don't have time to treat them. We don't know how long Master Kenobi can hold." Luke reminded Anakin. "I've survived worse." Luke added when he saw that Anakin wasn't convinced. Anakin exhaled and shook his head.

"I want Kix to look at them." He told Luke, who grimaced. Anakin raised an eyebrow. So, Luke didn't like getting medical treatment either? "We still have to solidify a plan for Obi-Wan's rescue."

"Distraction, infiltrate, rescue." Luke automatically responded.

"You sound as though you've this many times before."

"I have." Luke replied, shrugging. "It was the life I lived after..." He trailed off, a dark expression marring his normally bright features. For some reason, this made Anakin uncomfortable. That look just didn't fit Luke. Even though Anakin was curious to know what Luke was about to say, he wanted to change the subject to take Luke's mind off of whatever subject he was thinking about.

"Sit." He pointed to the ETA, his tone telling Luke he couldn't argue. Luke pursed his lips and sat on the edge of the Interceptor as Anakin called Kix over. Oddball came over to Luke, smirking. Luke tried to glare at him.

"Still can't stand medics." Oddball shook his head.

"Never have, never will." Luke replied, scowling faintly when Kix jogged over. Luckily, Kix didn't take it personally. He and Oddball had both been there when Luke was in the Med-Center at the Temple. The boy had done everything in his power to annoy the Healers there. For two weeks, the healers worked hard to help Luke, but he was striving equally as hard trying to get himself kicked out of their care. It was amusing for both Kix and Oddball when the healers had finally had enough and sent Luke on his way. Luke had made a point of gleefully exiting their care, turning to give them a victorious wave before disappearing into the corridor.

Kix took a look at the burns on Luke's arms and winced when he thought about the pain Luke must be feeling. The burns looked ugly, scorching some of the skin black or a dark, flaming, red. There were also some pieces of shrapnel metal poking into Luke's arms that Kix removed carefully. He must've received those wounds from the explosions, Kix figured. He was about to take care of Luke's right arm when Luke jerked it away, protectively placing it against his chest. Confused, Kix looked up at Luke.

"I have to treat it, Kid." He told Luke, who shook his head.

"It's fine. I can take care of it." Luke replied, turning away from Kix. Oddball shared a glance with Kix. Luke obviously didn't want Kix to check his right arm. But why?

"Luke," Oddball started, placing a hand on Luke's shoulder. "Kix has to check it to make sure it won't get any infections."

Luke said nothing. The two Clones could tell Luke was very reluctant to let Kix see his right arm.

"It won't get infected." He quietly whispered.

"How would you know?" Kix challenged, his tone kind.

"Because it's impossible for it to get infected." Luke replied.

"What?" Kix blinked. "Luke, let me see your arm."

"It won't get infected." Luke said again, pulling his arm away from Kix when the Clone carefully grasped it. It was a good thing Luke had learned to be patient, because he was certain if he was any younger than he really was, his patience would have long since run out.

"Kid!" Oddball fixed Luke with an exasperated look. "Let Kix look at it and then he'll go. I know you hate Medics but this is-" He cut off when he heard Luke mumbling something under his breath. "What was that?" he asked and Luke turned away. "Luke?"

"I said this has nothing to do with medics."

"Then what is it?"

Luke was silent.

"What seems to be the problem here?" Anakin's voice broke into their conversation and Kix looked to the General.

"Kix needs to check Luke's arm, but he won't let him." Oddball answered, watching Luke in the corner of his eye.

"Luke?" Anakin raised an amused eyebrow. Then his brow furrowed when he spotted the glove on Luke's right hand. He glanced down to his own gloved hand then back to Luke, taking note of how Luke only wore one glove. A thought came into his mind and Anakin prayed he was incorrect. "Luke...What's wrong with your hand?" He bluntly asked, watching as Luke flinched at the question. Oddball and Kix flashed him confused glances, but Anakin ignored them, focused on Luke.

"Nothing." Luke replied.

"You're lying." Anakin grabbed Luke's gloved hand, gripping tighter when Luke tried to pull it away. Slipping the glove off, Anakin nearly gasped when he saw the metallic hand underneath. Luke fought against his rising irritation and settled for staring at the fungi in the distance. Anything to take his mind off of his hand. He still hadn't come to terms with it and it was difficult for him to look at it without thinking about the battle on Bespin.

"Oh..." Was all Kix and Oddball could think of to say when they saw the reason why Luke tried shooing them away. Guilt replaced the surprise as the two watched Luke look away from it and at the fungi. Anakin, however, was struggling to suppress his feelings when he saw the metallic hand.

"L-Luke." He cleared his throat before continuing. "What happened?" He sternly asked.

"Sith Lord." Was Luke's only reply and Anakin closed his eyes. So his suspicions were true. "I fought him...But I wasn't strong enough..." Luke lowered his head. "He cornered me...then cut off my hand."

Oddball and Kix flinched at this. They hadn't realized...

"Sorry, Kid." Kix apologetically said as Luke slipped the glove back on. Luke gave them a small grin.

"You couldn't have known." He then turned to Anakin, who was still staring at his glove then at his own gloved hand. There was another thing both he and Luke had in common. Both had their hands cut off by a Sith Lord.

"So...About that rescue." And there was that cheery demeanor Luke was known for. "I think I have a plan."

* * *

 ** _-CW-_**

 ** _Wheee...A chapter done...Next chapter is the Rescue!_**


	9. Luke's Eventful Day

_**BAAAAACK! I know, I took forever, but so many things have been happening it's not even funny! But here's the next chapter!  
Luke, Anakin and the Clones plan an actual rescue, hoping to minimize any possible problems they might run into along the way. But of course, the rescue doesn't go as planned. **_

* * *

_**-CW-**_

"It's not looking good!" Anakin mumbled under his breath as he watched the Clones continuously attack the facility. It had been quarantined by the Separatists, but that wasn't particularly good. Their attacks had to be exact and precise, otherwise they would endanger the Clones and themselves. The Separatists still had a cargo load of the virus Obi-Wan had been infected by and there was a possibility that they could hit a laboratory holding the virus. Raking his hands through his hair, Anakin tried to remain calm, but his worry was gnawing at him, distracting Anakin from his task. Luke stood beside him, frowning as he watched the Clones shoot at the base again. None of their attacks seemed to be affecting the facility.

Everything seemed to bounce off of some invisible barrier. Chewing on his lower lip, Luke immediately started thinking up a new plan. "We need to get into that barrier." He thought aloud, staring at the invisible barrier. Anakin looked down at him, nodding his head in agreement.

"The only way to take it down is to blow the generator." The Knight murmured, frowning deeply as he watched the Clones battle. In order to get into the barrier, Anakin would have to leave the Clones to fend for themselves, buying him time to blow the barrier. Luke, as if sensing his hesitation, gave Anakin a comforting smile. One that struck Anakin as very familiar.

"I can go."

Anakin shot him an incredulous look, his lips parting in immediate protest.

"There is no way I am letting you go by yourself!"

"Why not?" Luke asked, calmly crossing his arms and shooting Anakin a defiant glare. Anakin gestured to the hundreds of battle droids swarming the facility, his expression one that stated, it's-pretty-obvious-why. Luke didn't even bat an eye, having seen firsthand just how useless battle droids were. He raised a questioning eyebrow, "And?"

Anakin stared. "You can't be serious."

The kid wasn't fazed at all! Luke resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He'd been through worse! Come on, he infiltrated the Death Star once and had to go undercover in order to rescue the Princess. Not only that, but all of the missions he'd accompanied Lariss on and all of the things they'd had to do...It didn't even compare! Just because he was 'little' now didn't mean he was incapable of doing anything!

"The Separatists don't know I'm here." Luke pointed out to Anakin. "They are expecting you or another Jedi to come and rescue Master B-Kenobi. They have no idea that I'm here and wouldn't expect for you to bring a Jedi Youngling on this kind of mission. I'd be the last thing they'd expect to infiltrate their base. I have the advantage of sneaking in without being spotted or sensed."

Anakin said nothing in reply, feeling a little irritated. Luke was right and had brought up many good points, but that didn't mean Anakin was going to concede.

"And if something were to happen? What then?" He asked the boy. "What if the Separatists find you and take you captive? Or worse?"

"Then I will have no choice but to trust the Force." Luke answered without hesitation.

Anakin snapped his jaw shut. That was a pretty powerful answer, and one he wasn't expecting. Luke dropped his arms to his sides, offering Anakin a lop-sided grin. "The Force will guide. I only have to listen." He calmly added.

Anakin heaved a sigh, hooking his thumbs through his utility belt, turning his gaze to the facility they were attacking. He was reluctant to let Luke go. It was too dangerous for him! He silently evaluated the situation then looked down at Luke, brow furrowing in confusion. Why did he care so much for a boy he had barely even met? Luke was like Obi-Wan. He managed to worm his way into everyone's heart by doing nothing! He could smile, wave, or say just a little 'Hello' and already, he'd have a place in your heart. It was no wonder the Clones were protective of him.

Anakin smirked, recalling a time he had entered the Hangar to find Luke being fiercely lectured by a Temple visitor. What he was being lectured for, Anakin had no idea, but Luke looked like a kicked puppy, his blue orbs burning into the ground as he listened to the visitor shout at him. Anakin had been about to approach the visitor, feeling angered that the man was shouting at the boy, when he saw Rex and a few others Clones enter the Hangar. The five Clones immediately stopped their conversation when they overheard the commotion. Almost at once, Rex, Oddball, Boil, Waxer, and Whiz went over to Luke's side, inquiring as to what the matter was. Anakin noted that Waxer and Boil stood beside Luke while Rex placed himself in front of the boy, forcing the visitor to switch his attention to the Clone. Oddball placed a hand on Luke's shoulder, flashing the kid a comforting grin while Whiz stood off to the side, listening to Rex and the visitor converse back and forth.

The man had made aggravated movements and his expression showed exactly how he felt about the interruption, but Rex would have none of it. The next moment, the man was suddenly flustered and quite embarrassed that he made a hasty escape out of the hangar, leaving the Clones and Luke behind, laughing at whatever it was that Rex had said to embarrass the man. The Clones, Anakin knew, had adopted Luke as a sort of little brother. Luke didn't mind, but he was still wary of the Clones, for reasons Anakin didn't know.

Blinking himself back to the present, Anakin bit his lip, peering down at Luke, who was staring at him expectantly. Shoulders slumping a bit, Anakin gave in.

"Alright," The Knight said, earning an excited look from Luke. "But on one condition." he raised a finger in the air, giving Luke a firm look. Luke innocently returned it, wondering what Anakin's condition was. "You take this," The Jedi handed Luke a wrist-com, placing it onto Luke's gloved hand and turning it on. "And, if I sense anything wrong, I want you to turn back."

Luke made to protest, but Anakin held up a hand. "It's that, or I come in after you."

Luke shut his mouth, deciding it was wise to say nothing. "It won't come to that." He murmured aloud, studying the holographic map the Clones had set up. Anakin eyed him closely.

"We'll see." The Knight approached the map as well, helping Luke to find a way to sneak into the facility without being sighted. After a few minutes, they finally found a passageway. "You should be small enough to fit into the ventilation shafts." Anakin remarked, estimating how big the shafts would be and how small Luke was. Luke frowned at this, repressing the urge to pout, wondering if Anakin was making fun of his small size. He already knew he was pretty tiny for his age, but he didn't need his own Father pointing it out. Anakin, seeing this, ruffled Luke's hair, the corner of his lips twitching upwards in a sideways smirk. Something Luke always noticed about his Father was his constant, all-knowing or arrogant smirk. It was the same smirk Lariss had and the same one he supposedly had, according to Lariss.

Ducking under Anakin's hand, Luke shot him a playful glare, fixing his hair. It had grown longer in the three months he had been there, but Luke hadn't had the time to cut it a couple inches. It was also a bright, white-blonde color, which Anakin found rather familiar. He could have sworn he knew Luke from somewhere, but where?

"Don't worry," Anakin found himself reassuring Luke. "Maybe you'll grow a couple inches by the end of this year."

Luke huffed in reply before he was distracted by the holographic image of Cody popping up.

"General Skywalker!"

Anakin straightened, facing Cody.

"Commander, what is it?Has something happened?"

Cody shook his head, negative. "No, sir, but we believe we may have found General Kenobi's location."

The Commander had Anakin's full attention, the Knight asking for him to continue. Cody dutifully did so.

"We have picked up secret passageways tunneling underneath the facility and even under our position, sir. Some of the radars have also picked up a faint trace of life." The Clone informed Anakin. Luke noted the relief and hope brewing in his Father's blue orbs as Anakin listened intently to the Clone's report.

"Were you able to pinpoint the location?" Anakin asked.

"We're not sure, General Skywalker, but we managed to narrow it down to three passageways." Cody replied, his blue, holographic, image being replaced by the map the Clones had pulled up.

"That's better than nothing." Anakin lowly remarked under his breath, eyes scanning the map. Luke could see the three passageways Cody had mentioned and there were a few red dots flickering here and there. "One of those has to be Obi-Wan. What do you think, Luke?"

Luke looked up at Anakin, wondering why he was asking him before answering,

"Well, I won't be going in blind. I can find a ventilation shaft that connects to those three passageways and find which one Ob- Master Kenobi is in."

"I agree." Anakin nodded, looking back at the map, eyes narrowing on the three passageways. He zoomed in to take a closer look, studying the ventilation shafts. "There is one here," He pointed to a rather large shaft just a floor above the three, "But it splits when it reaches that floor." His finger drifted down to where the vents met the three passageways and went their separate ways. He traced one of the vents and the two found the vents intertwined and cross paths in many different sections of the three floors. It was a maze of sorts, as if the Separatists had installed them in with precaution.

 _'Wouldn't be surprised...'_ Anakin thought to himself, thinking of the many times he and Obi-Wan had had to use the vents in order to escape or infiltrate enemy bases. It seemed they were finally learning their lesson.

"You'll have to be careful as to which one you enter." Anakin went on, Luke nodding in agreement, trying to memorize the map. Force, this would be a difficult mission, he found himself thinking.

' _Luke,'_ Leia's voice echoed through their bond, startling him. ' _W_ _hat are you doing?'_

 _'Rescuing Obi-Wan.'_ He told her, sending brief images about what he had seen, the Separatist facility, and the map he was attempting to memorize. He could sense Leia shaking her head.

' _Just be careful, Luke. You have a knack for finding trouble when you're on missions.'_

 _'I do?'_ Luke incredulously repeated.

' _Yes, you. Keep me updated through your rescue, Luke, okay?'_

 _'Of course.'_

And the conversation ended, Luke returning his focus on the map. Anakin had been explaining a few routes, he realized, and was now finalizing which one he believed would be best for him to use.

"I would try going through the middle one here," Anakin was saying, his finger pausing in the middle of the vent that split into three. "That-a-way you can check to see if Obi-Wan's there, and if he isn't, you can use these two vents," He indicated to the ventilation shaft that crossed paths with the middle shaft, "To climb up or down and see if Obi-Wan's in any of those passageways. I'm not sure if you'll be able to see anything from those vents, so you might have to climb out of them and scour the perimeter of the floors." Here, he fixed a stern gaze on Luke, pointing a finger at the boy, "Before you do so, check to see if you can sense any Separatists nearby. If you don't, it should be safe. There will most likely be some droids, but they shouldn't be an issue."

"Mhm." Luke hummed, telling Anakin that he would do his best to be as careful as possible. Anakin straightened, crossing his arms, deep in thought.

"Actually, Luke," He said, taking the wrist-com off his glove and putting it back into his bag, "Take this instead." He pulled out a com-link, placing it into Luke's hand. "I'll send the map to you so you can keep track of where you are and don't get lost."

"Oh, thanks." Luke thanked him, tucking the com-link into the pouch attached to his utility belt. "That will be very useful." He commented, checking to make sure he still had his saber. He did. Smoothing the wrinkles in his tunic, Luke waited for Anakin to tell him when to go. Anakin had turned away to check on the Clones, the Knight spotting a new battalion of Droids approaching from behind the shield. He immediately pulled his saber off his utility belt and ignited it, the blue blade sizzling to life. Turning his head slightly, Anakin sharply dipped his chin, signalling for Luke to utilize the distraction he was about to provide to enter the shield.

"May the Force be with you, Master Skywalker!" Luke quietly called. Anakin quirked his lips up at that, repeating the phrase back to Luke before jumping into the middle of the Droids, slashing them to pieces. Luke didn't waste any time in sprinting through the barrier and climbing the cliff that lead to the Separatist facility. He scaled the rocky cliff in record time, much to Anakin's surprise as he watched the boy, and crawled forward with caution, ensuring that if the Separatists had motion sensors, they would not be able to pick up any suspicious movement.

Anakin felt a surge of pride run through him as he watched Luke stealthily sneak past the droids guarding the facility then enter through one of the protruding shafts above the entrance. The boy was amazing, Anakin found. He also found that when he was in Luke's presence, he felt at ease, calm and was never quick to anger. When he was irritated, Luke would somehow manage to make it melt away until Anakin forgot why he had been irritated in the first place. It was odd to him, and Anakin reminded himself to find out as much about Luke as he could. There was something about that boy...something that linked him to the teen and the teen to him.

He felt as if the Force were laughing at him, as if it were telling him that he were missing out on something that should be obvious. Shaking his head, Anakin sternly told himself to focus and wait for Luke's signal.

* * *

 _ **-CW-**_

Luke crawled through the vents silently, sensitive to his surroundings. He had expanded his senses by using the Force and kept sending light waves of the Force out to see if there was anyone nearby. So far, nothing had triggered his radar and he hadn't run into any obstacles, which he considered a blessing seeing as he always seemed to have bad luck.

 _'In my experience,'_ Luke heard distantly in the back of his mind, _'There's no such thing as luck.'_

Smiling slightly, Luke reminisced the times he had spent with Old Ben. That was Ben's favorite saying, and after the Rebellion, it had changed to, ' _This weapon is your life.'_ Luke couldn't count how many times he had been on the receiving end of that lecture after having lost his saber numerous times. Apparently, according to Obi-Wan, he had given Anakin that lecture many times before. It made Luke feel guilty, however, when he recalled how he had lost his Father's saber after the Battle at Bespin. He had treasured that saber, seeing as it was the only thing he had that had belonged to his Father.

Turning a corner, Luke paused, pulling out the com-link and switching it on to check his position. He wasn't even close. Luke sighed, finding that he had to climb down several hundred feet in order to reach the three floors Obi-Wan was believed to be held. Steeling himself, Luke placed one hand firmly against the side of the vent then pressed the other arm against the opposite side of the shaft, planting his feet on the sides in the same manner. Once he was set, Luke allowed himself to slide down the shaft, his boots hardly making any sound as they slid against the metal. He could feel his stomach churning at the sensation of falling but didn't stop until he was halfway down. The Force was coiling in his stomach, warning Luke that there was something wrong nearby.

Holding himself still, Luke prodded the surrounding area with the Force, wondering what could be wrong. Sensing nothing, Luke cautiously continued onward, slipping down several more feet before coming to an abrupt halt.

The sensation had returned, and it was growing stronger. So, Luke mused to himself, he was nearing the source of the disturbance. Waiting a few moments, Luke manipulated the Force so that it would check the surrounding areas and hide his presence. The disturbance was growing more powerful and dark..

' _Eh, oh well.'_ Luke shrugged, dropping himself several feet. He kept sliding until he looked down and screeched to a halt. He flinched, mentally berating himself for making such a tremendous sound. If anyone was nearby, they would be aware of his presence! But, he had to stop!

Glancing back down, Luke found that he had stopped just before the vent split into two different sections. Brow crinkling, Luke whipped out his com-link, flicking it back on to look at the map. The red dot representing him was flashing just above the part of the map Anakin had showed him split into three shafts. Looking back down, he raised an eyebrow.

"Doesn't look like three to me." He muttered to himself, stepping lightly on the middle part of the vents. "Now...Which way to go?" He studiously studied the map, trying to figure out which shaft he should go in. The map didn't offer him much help, seeing as the third shaft that was supposedly _supposed_ to be there wasn't. And that was the shaft he needed to hop into. "Wonderful...What else did I expect?" Luke sarcastically uttered, keeping his voice low as he pondered over his predicament. That was when he recalled the words he had spoken to Anakin,

 _'The Force will guide.'_

"The Force will guide." He repeated to himself. "I only have to listen."

' _Alright.'_ Luke closed his eyes, steadying his breathing as he focused on the Force, asking it to do his will. ' _Force...Help me find Obi-Wan.'_

Not long after he had called upon the Force, did he receive a soft nudge from it, urging Luke to take the left shaft. Trusting in the Force, Luke instantly leaped down, allowing himself to freefall until he came close to the end. Using the Force, Luke slowed his descent and lightly touched his feet to the metallic covering of the vents before lowering himself down so he could crawl through it. Following the map and the Force, Luke managed to find his way through the maze of vents and down to the middle floor between the three passageways Obi-Wan was possibly being held in. Luke concentrated on listening to the Force, waiting for it to tell him where to go. His answer was to drop down.

Confused, Luke peered out of the shaft, removing a part of it in order to lean out of it. He could see the entire floor was lined with dirty and dank cells, reminding himself of Jabba the Hutt's place. His nose crinkled from the smell as Luke scanned the area for enemies.

There were none. Taking a chance, Luke jumped out of the vent, keeping low as he moved forward to look into every cell. The Force was pulsing around him, urging him to move faster. Hastening his pace, Luke skittered down the damp corridor. Pausing before he reached an intersection, Luke carefully looked around the corner, looking both ways to make sure there were no droids or Separatists waiting to attack him.

Thankfully, there were none. But Luke wasn't taking any chances. He scurried across, his booted feet barely brushing against the ground as he glanced into every cell he passed. So far, there was nothing, not even a sign that Obi-Wan was anywhere nearby. Then he sensed it. A faint Force Signature.

One Luke would recognize anywhere.

"Found him!" Luke ecstatically murmured under his breath, moving quickly to the cell had had felt the signature from. He pressed the blue button on the side and the door hissed open, vanishing as it allowed him entry.

"I told you that you wouldn't be getting any of the answers you want, Ve-" A low voice suddenly greeted Luke before sharply cutting off. Luke looked to find a bearded young man, perhaps no older than thirty, seated in the corner of the dank cell, wearing a dirtied beige tunic and long brown boots. His hair was a chocolaty-reddish orange color, and in disarray. There were many rips and tears in his clothing, as well as many dark stains.

Blood, Luke realized, noting the cuts and bruises decorating the man's face. But despite all this, Luke recognized him at once. Obi-Wan Kenobi.

The man seemed to study Luke for a moment, surprised to find a young boy entering his cell, his watery-blue orbs dancing with curiosity.

"And who would you be?" The man questioned. Luke, who had been standing dazedly in the entrance, immediately moved forward, excitement growing within him. He had found him! He had been reunited with Obi-Wan! Old Ben!

Then the excitement died down. Obi-Wan wouldn't know him. He wouldn't recognize him.

Throwing aside his disappointment, Luke found his voice and answered,

"Luke Solo, and I'm here to help you escape."

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yes." Luke bounced on the balls of his feet, looking around the cell in distaste. "Master Skywalker sent me to find you-"

Obi-Wan perked up at this. "Anakin's here?"

Luke nodded, watching, alarmed, as Obi-Wan struggled to stand.

"Take it easy! You're injured!" Luke gently chastised, rushing forward to help him. Obi-Wan shot him a grateful look, placing a hand on Luke's shoulder as the teen helped him balance.

"I'm fine." Obi-Wan automatically replied, earning a disapproving, and unconvinced look from Luke.

"Anytime someone says they're fine, they aren't." He told the Jedi Master as they moved to the door. Obi-Wan stumbled a couple of times, but Luke would steady him and they made it up the few stairs leading up the the cell door. "And Jedi aren't supposed to lie."

"Speaking from experience, are we?" Obi-Wan asked, a little amused and tired. Luke only grinned in response. Oh! If only he could tell Obi-Wan who he was! Tell him everything! But he couldn't... After a few more steps, Obi-Wan suddenly keeled over, his body trembling as he coughed. Luke cringed at the painful wheezing Obi-Wan made after his coughing fit was over. He crouched down and touched Obi-Wan's shoulder, allowing his eyes to close as he focused on using the Force to ease the Master's pain.

Once he was done, Luke reopened his eyes, blinking a moment when his vision went haywire from overexertion, only to find Obi-Wan staring at him intensely. "Master...Kenobi?"

"How did you learn to use the Force that way, child?" Obi-Wan inquired, genuinely curious. Luke didn't answer, helping Obi-Wan to stand once again. This time, because Luke was lending him strength with the Force, the Master was able to stand and walk on his own. Though he would pause every once in a while to catch his breath, they were making good progress. In truth, Luke wasn't very strong in Healing with the Force, but Lariss was. She had taught Luke the basics, knowing Healing wasn't his strongpoint, but she knew it was essential that he learn it. At least, enough that he could heal himself should he ever be injured and far from a med-center.

The feeling that had been plaguing Luke since he had entered the shafts returned twice-fold, telling the young Jedi that there was something coming.

"Do you sense that?" Luke decided to ask Obi-Wan, wondering what it was. Obi-Wan slowly nodded.

"That would be Ventress." He sighed, shaking his head.

"Ven...tress?" Luke tilted his head in question, hoping Obi-Wan would explain to him who this 'Ventress' was. He'd never heard of her! Obi-Wan looked at him in surprise.

"You do not know who Ventress is?"

"No?"

"Ah...Well I do believe you will have the opportunity to meet her soon." Obi-Wan knowingly told him, his gaze moving to look forward. Luke pursed his lips.

"You expect this Ventress to try and cut us off? To keep us from escaping." He stated more than questioned, earning another surprised look from Obi-Wan.

"Very insightful, but yes. Actually, no." Obi-Wan said, with another shake of his head. "I know for a certainty that she will try to cut us off."

Luke smirked at that.

"Try." He repeated, and Obi-Wan turned to look at him, his eyes twinkling.

"Ah, Yoda's famous line of all time." The Master grinned. Luke returned the grin as the two chimed in unison,

"Do or do not, there is no try."

"I take it the Sith have failed to adopt that motto. No wonder they continue to fail." Luke spoke aloud, wincing when he realized who was there to overhear him. Obi-Wan snorted, much to his surprise.

"Indeed." Obi-Wan agreed, eyeing Luke. He frowned deeply, eyes searching for something Luke didn't know. "I'm sorry, but I feel that I know you from somewhere." The Master explained, catching onto the fact that Luke had noticed that he was being analyzed by him. It was true. Obi-Wan had the strangest feeling that he should know the teen from somewhere, but he didn't know where from. He was familiar, and his signature...

Obi-Wan was amazed by the pure light of the Force that surrounded the boy. It seemed to create a protective shell around him, shielding him from the darkness, as a mother would protect her child. His Signature was powerful, nearly as powerful as Anakin's. Actually, Obi-Wan thought, his power could rival that of Anakin's! But where had he met this boy before? Obi-Wan _knew_ that Luke was familiar.

"Wait...When you introduced yourself, you claimed to be Luke Solo."

"Yes..?" Luke affirmed, wondering where this was headed, but Obi-Wan didn't clarify what he was trying to get from that piece of information. The Jedi Master seemed to mull over this, his brow furrowed as he raised a hand to stroke his beard.

"I wonder...Coincidence?" He softly asked himself, confusing Luke. "You also said that Anakin, Master Skywalker was here?"

"Yes, and I think Master Secura and Master Koon are scheduled to arrive soon."

"Who is your Master, Luke? Surely not Anakin." ' _Force knows he doesn't want a Padawan who will 'slow him down.''_ The Master thought to himself.

"No." Luke shook his head. "I don't have Master."

Obi-Wan blinked, befuddled. "What do you mean?" He asked, peeking around a corner to make sure Ventress wasn't going to come out flying at them. Seeing the coast was clear, he gestured for Luke to follow. "I would have thought that since you are here, you were a Padawan accompanying your Master."

"No." Luke said, sadness lacing his tone. "Both of my Masters are one with the Force."

Obi-Wan started at this, shocked. "I...I am sorry for your loss." He managed to say, feeling guilty for having asked. Luke merely smiled.

"It is alright. I know they are still with me."

"Who were they?" Obi-Wan asked, wondering if he knew any of the boy's Masters. Perhaps that was why he recognized him.

"Master Ben. My other Master, I cannot say."

"You cannot?" Obi-Wan raised a disbelieving eyebrow. Luke only shrugged, telling Obi-Wan that he wasn't going to say anymore. Obi-Wan decided to let it slide, but his suspicions were growing. There was something about Luke...Something off. He could have sworn he knew Luke. It was an odd feeling for Obi-Wan as he gazed down at the boy. He couldn't get a good look at him, however, since there was little to no light where they were. "Then, how did you come to be here?"

"Master Skywalker accidentally brought me aboard."

"He did?"

"He didn't realize I was still on the shuttle we had been fixing and when he did, it was too late to turn back. He'd already jumped into hyperspace."

Obi-Wan wasn't at all surprised by this. "Of course..."

"He was very worried, you know." Luke abruptly spoke up, catching Obi-Wan's attention. "He left right after he'd heard of your disappearance. Wouldn't rest until we had a plan."

"He planned this?" Obi-Wan was so amazed that he almost stumbled over his own feet. "You mean to tell me that Anakin truly took some time to plan an attack?"

Luke laughed softly. "Yes. But I highly doubt he'll stick to the plan."

"Never does." Obi-Wan agreed when he came to an abrupt stop, pulling Luke beside him. Raising a finger to his lips, Obi-Wan gestured towards the intersection with his hand. Luke followed his line of vision to find a squad of Droids marching down the corridor with a Night Sister woman leading them.

 _'Doesn't she look thrilled.'_ Luke remarked to himself, watching as the woman barked out orders at the Droids, clearly irritated.

"Find the Jedi!" She spat in agitation, her face darkening in anger. "He couldn't have gotten far!"

"Roger, roger!" The Droids squeaked together, clanking away as the woman turned and headed down their way. Luke nearly recoiled from the darkness spewing from her, but beneath it all, Luke could see a little light smothered by the darkness. So, she wasn't completely lost to the Dark Side. She was confused. It seemed to Luke, that this woman didn't quite understand right from wrong. She didn't know if what she was doing was right because all she had ever known was the Dark Side.

Compassion leaked into his heart as Luke thought about all of the Sith Apprentices. They all lived dangerous lives, and sometimes, it wasn't even by choice. They were forced, or ripped away from their own, peaceful lives and made to serve the Dark. It was the way of the Sith. A path Luke never wanted to go down on. In order to survive, the Apprentice had to work hard and train in order to become more powerful than their own Masters, then kill their Master. A feat that Luke knew was near impossible. It was why there were very few Apprentices. In his life, Luke had only run into a couple of Apprentices. His sister, and another fiery tempered woman.

This would make his third.

"Ventress." Obi-Wan breathed, in order not to be heard. "This could be problematic." He commented, without any true concern. "I don't have my lightsaber."

"They took it?" Luke lowly asked.

"No. I believe Cody has it."

"I have mine and I think..." Luke bit his lip, shuffling through his pouch. "Ha!" He pulled out a smaller saber, one that the Jedi gave Younglings for training. "I knew I kept this somewhere."

"Convenient." Obi-Wan remarked. "May I?"

Luke handed his saber over without question, keeping the training saber in his hand in order to remind himself what it felt like. Obi-Wan looked over the saber he had been given, amazed with how well it had been made. It was definitely well-cared for and powerful. A suitable weapon for its wielder. But...

' _The design is almost like mine...And Anakin's.'_ Obi-Wan realized, turning the saber over again. It was almost an exact replica, in fact. ' _Interesting...This child grows even more mysterious by the second.'_ It reminded Obi-Wan of another child he had met...

"She's getting closer."

"Keep hidden and shield yourself. With any luck, she won't sense us." Obi-Wan whispered. Luke only looked at him.

"I thought there was no such thing as luck?" Obi-Wan raised both his eyebrows at this. Who had told the child this? For as far as he was concerned, Obi-Wan only knew one person who claimed that luck didn't exist, and that was himself.

"In my experience, there isn't."

The two waited, silently, Luke shielding himself as Ventress came closer. Much to his amusement, Ventress passed them without a second glance. Once she was far enough away, they left their hiding spot and made for the doors.

"That was easy."

"It isn't always." Obi-Wan said in his don't-get-to-arrogant kind of way. Luke hummed in reply, opening the doors and entering the elevator after Obi-Wan had. Obi-Wan gave the elevator a bored look. "Another elevator...How I dislike these things."

"What did they ever do to you?" Luke asked, grasping at the railing and leaning against the wall. "I find them quite beneficial." Especially when having to visit the ginormous Senate Buildings in Naboo.

"When they are functioning correctly."

"Ah..."

Obi-Wan took this time to study Luke once again. Now that he could see the child, he took in the bright blonde hair, the shining blue eyes, and the tanned skin he had. He also wore a black Jedi tunic with black leggings and boots. He even had a black utility belt to go with it. Obi-Wan frowned. Why would a bright boy like Luke choose to wear such dark clothing? He knew Anakin preferred dark colors, but even he didn't wear as much black. Perhaps it was symbolic of his past? He had lost two Masters, and from what Obi-Wan could see, Luke had suffered much in his life. How he seemed to draw this out from just meeting the boy, Obi-Wan didn't know. But he felt drawn to him. The boy was a beacon of light, a pure soul. It was very rare to meet a Jedi with such a vibrant Signature.

Time seemed to pass slowly as the elevator crawled up towards the higher grounds. Luke tapped his fingers on the railing, waiting for it to come to a stop.

It continued on. He frowned and glanced over at Obi-Wan.

"Shouldn't we have stopped by now? I know for sure that I didn't fall that many floors below ground."

Obi-Wan tapped his chin, sensing that Luke had a point. The elevator should have stopped long ago.

"I have a feeling it was rigged." He muttered, just loud enough for Luke to hear. "They're bringing us to the top floor."

"Top floor?" Luke repeated, rubbing the back of his neck. That wasn't good...

"What is it?" Obi-Wan asked, wondering what Luke was thinking.

"If I remember correctly, Cody said something about containers of the virus are held up there and the generators. Master Skywalker needs the generators to be blown, but...We can't exactly do that when we're still in the facility."

"Oh." Obi-Wan frowned at this. "That's definitely not good." He leaned back against the wall, arms crossed as he stared at the elevator doors. "Well, that means we will have to find a way out of this place and fast. I have a feeling the Separatists are going to blow this place themselves."

"Really? But, didn't they only just build it?"

Obi-Wan shrugged. "I guess they don't need it anymore. Besides, by the time Anakin's through with his attack, there won't be anything left anyways." He added as an afterthought. "I suppose we could help and set the charges. That would give us enough time to get out of this place."

"Where do we get the charges?"

"Where else?" Obi-Wan smirked as the elevator finally came to a stop. "Just follow my lead." He ignited Luke's saber, studying the emerald blade that came to life. Emerald green...It was a color that fit Luke well, Obi-Wan distantly thought to himself, hearing Luke turn on his training saber. "I must ask, Luke, who helped you to make this saber?"

Luke looked up at him, giving him the look Anakin used to, and still did, give Obi-Wan. The, what-the-heck-are-you-talking-about look. "No one. I did it myself, following the Force's guidance."

Obi-Wan blinked in amazement, looking at the youth in new-found light. "What of your Masters?"

"They were already one with the Force." Luke answered. Obi-Wan shook his head.

' _I don't believe it...'_

The doors chimed open, and Obi-Wan immediately sprung out from inside the elevator, swinging Luke's saber and chopping several droids in half. Luke followed after him, skillfully weaving through the large group of Droids and cutting through them with practices ease. Obi-Wan watched, stunned, as Luke gracefully leaped here and there, easily deflecting bolts and nimbly dancing out of harm's way, as if it were some regular training session for the boy. The teen was focused and calm, the Force guiding his every movement. He kept close to Obi-Wan, adapting to the Jedi Master's style and protecting his unprotected side.

The Droids were destroyed in no time at all, and Obi-Wan quickly searched for charges to set.

"Hmm.." Obi-Wan hummed, disappointed when he found nothing but spare Droid parts and broken tools. "I can't find any charges..."

"We won't need any charges." Luke's voice drifted over to the distracted Master, earning Obi-Wan's attention. He found Luke fiddling with the control panel, pressing several buttons on the electronic keyboard below it. Obi-Wan stood and walked over, wondering what Luke was doing. "If I can override their password, I can put the facility on lock down and set it to self-destruct." He informed the Master, his fingers skimming over the control pad once again before he jerked one of the levers down.

Obi-Wan looked at the screen to find a map of the facility itself. It was quite large, bigger than any other factory he'd ever visited. Luke had gotten passed the password and was now locking down the entire place, sealing the blaster doors shut. He was about to set it to self-destruct when he hesitated.

"How long will we need to get out of this place?" Luke asked, waiting for Obi-Wan's answer.

"Well..." Obi-Wan stroked his beard, narrowing his eyes on Luke as the boy messed with some wires underneath the panel. He clearly knew what he was doing, and from what he could see, Luke was a mechanical genius...just like Anakin.

The Master's eyes widened.

Anakin!

That was what it was! Luke reminded him of Anakin! That was why Obi-Wan had been so convinced that he knew Luke. The similarities between the two was astonishing. In fact, Obi-Wan couldn't think of any differences between them, except that Luke was much calmer and at ease than Anakin. Anakin was a wound up bundle of energy and the Knight still had yet to learn patience.

"Master Kenobi?"

Obi-Wan was brought back to the present when Luke's soft voice broke into his thoughts and the Jedi found that he had yet to answer the boy. "Do forgive me, Luke." He apologized. "As I was saying, probably no more than five minutes."

"Truly?" Luke raised an eyebrow, his eyes widening marginally.

"Oh, yes."

"How is that possible?"

"We are going to jump." Obi-Wan stated, as if the answer should have been obvious.

"...Jump?" Luke had to make sure he had heard the Jedi correctly, turning his head to glance out the window and all the way down the ground far below. "That's a long drop..."

"I meant over there, Luke." Obi-Wan, amused, pointed to the cliff side across from them. Luke could feel himself flushing in embarrassment.

"O-Oh. I knew that." He stuttered, chuckling in an embarrassed manner, rubbing the back of his neck again. Obi-Wan caught this and was once again struck with how much Luke resembled Anakin. Before he could think more about it, a familiar, agitated presence brushed up against his Signature.

"We don't have much time. Ventress is on her way." Obi-Wan told Luke, quietly urging the boy to work faster. Luke did, flicking many switches on and off then yanking on the red wire under the panel so that no one could stop the facility from self-destructing.

Once through, Luke stood and brushed his hands off, Obi-Wan noting that he wore one glove and left the other bare. He was curious to know why, though he had a sneaking suspicion he knew the answer, Obi-Wan decided to ask about it later.

"Alright. That should be good." Luke said aloud.

"Good. Let's go." Obi-Wan backed up a little, Luke mimicking his moves. "Now!" The Master called just as the blaster doors of the room were blown open. Both Luke and Obi-Wan sprinted towards the window, using the Force to enhance their leap as they broke through the glass and flew over to the cliff. Obi-Wan managed to land atop the cliff with ease, but Luke wasn't as lucky. The teen managed to grab hold of the edge and threw one arm over in order to pull himself up. Obi-Wan winced when pain exploded in his side, but he ignored it as he knelt down and grasped Luke's wrist, pulling the teen up to safety.

"Thanks." Luke murmured, Obi-Wan accepting his thanks with a curt dip of his chin.

"Why don't we meet up with Anakin before the facility blows?"

Luke grinned and trotted after Obi-Wan as they slowly started to descend the cliff side. They didn't get far before the Separatist facility suddenly exploded, a violent tremor rocking the ground they stood on. Luke, having been knocked off balance, surged forward, colliding into the unforgiving ground with a grunt. Obi-Wan stumbled but miraculously remained standing.

"What the...Why is it exploding?" Luke shouted over the sound of more explosions.

"I don't know!" Obi-Wan called back, grabbing hold of the teen's arm and pulling him up. "But what I do know is that we need to get out of here! And fast! "

"Right behind you, Master Kenobi!"

* * *

 _ **-CW-**_

Anakin was growing impatient. Not that that was anything new, but his worry was eating at him and the Knight couldn't focus on the battle at hand. He had heard nothing from Luke and anytime he tried to contact him, the call wouldn't go through.

' _S_ _omething's wrong.'_ Anakin kept telling himself, before demanding that the small voice in the back of his head shut up. He needed to focus! Who knew what could happen if he allowed himself to get distracted.

"General Skywalker!" Rex's voice sounded from his right, and Anakin looked to find the Clone Captain ducking behind a large boulder beside him. "The shields are faltering! With any luck, we'll be able to press forward in no time!"

"Good! Keep firing at those shields! The faster we get them down, the faster we can reach Obi-Wan!" Anakin shouted over the sound of battle.

"Yes sir!" Rex saluted, using his wrist-com to relay the message to his brothers. The Clones doubled their attacks, bombing the shields at a faster rate. Just as the shields were beginning to fade, the ground violently shook as an explosion sounded.

"What the...?!" Anakin jerked his head around in time to see the Separatist facility self-destructing, bombs detonating left and right. "Oh no..." He whispered in dismay, thinking about Luke and Obi-Wan, trapped inside the facility. His heart sunk as the facility started to crumble before his eyes. "No, no, _no!_ This wasn't supposed to happen!"

Rex said nothing, eyes wide in disbelief, sharing a few looks with Waxer, Boil, Cody, and Whiz.

"Luke?" Waxer murmured. Boil shook his head.

"I don't know, Waxer..."

"I'm sure the Kid made it out." Whiz optimistically told his brothers, unable to wrap his mind around the possibility that Luke hadn't escaped.

"Of course he did." Cody said. "The Kid's a special one. Reminds me of the other Commander..."

"The other Commander?" Rex repeated, giving Cody a questioning look.

"You haven't heard?"

At their blank stares, Cody shrugged. "You'll find out soon enough."

As soon as the facility had collapsed, Anakin issued an order to search for Obi-Wan and Luke. "I didn't feel anything in the Force, so they must be alive." Anakin told them. Whether he was trying to assure himself or tell the Clones that Obi-Wan and Luke were alive, they were unsure.

"Sir!" Cody abruptly cried, pointing upwards. "Up there!"

Everyone followed his line of sight to see two figures trudging down the cliff side towards them.

"Luke! Obi-Wan!" Anakin exhaled deeply in relief, his shoulders slumping as if a huge weight had been lifted from them. The Knight rushed over, checking them both with the Force for injuries. Obi-Wan, he found, had taken a beating from the Separatists holding him captive, but other than that, he didn't seem to have any life threatening wounds. Luke seemed to be fine, his only injuries being the shrapnel wounds reopening in his arms and staining his black sleeves a darker color.

"Anakin." Obi-Wan greeted him, smiling slightly. His eyes drifted over the battlefield, taking in every ruined Droid and Separatist tanks before returning to lock gazes with Anakin.

"Thank the Force you're alright!"

"Oh, I'm fine." Obi-Wan assured him, clasping the Knight's shoulder. Anakin's eyes swam with immense relief then swiveled over to look at Luke.

"Luke, are you okay?" He asked the boy, placing both hands on his shoulders. Luke glanced up at him, flashing him a lop-sided grin.

"Couldn't be better."

"I tried contacting you..."

"You did?" Luke pulled out his com-link and checked it. "I didn't get anything."

"I figured as much."

Obi-Wan watched the exchange with curious eyes. Anakin, he could see, cared for Luke, causing him to wonder how long Luke and Anakin had known each other and when they'd met, for Obi-Wan had never met him before.

"How many casualties?" Obi-Wan asked, studying the Clones scouring the field.

"Not many." Anakin answered, frowning down at Luke as the boy tugged at his glove. "The Droids wouldn't leave the safe-grounds, so all of them were pretty much destroyed when the facility collapsed. What happened to you?"

"All in due time." Obi-Wan responded. "Long story short, I was held for questioning, the Separatists didn't appreciate my answers, then Luke came, and we escaped after setting the facility to self-destruct."

"I see." Anakin glanced back at the factory. "We'd better leave before the Virus started spreading. It won't be long before this entire area's affected."

"Indeed." Obi-Wan wholeheartedly agreed.

"Impatient to leave?" Anakin grinned at him.

"I need to return to Coruscant." Came Obi-Wan's reply.

"Whatever for? Surely you're not that excited to meet with the Council."

"No. I need to go to the Med-Center. The Council can wait."

"Oh?" Anakin grew concerned, scrutinizing his former Master. Had he overlooked some injuries? If Obi-Wan was saying that he needed to visit the Med-Center...

As if reading Anakin's mind, Obi-Wan chuckled, waving a hand in the air to dismiss his concern.

"I left someone there, Anakin, and I promised them I would return two days ago...I am most definitely going to receive an earful when I return."

"Huh?" Anakin raised an eyebrow. "You left someone?"

"You wouldn't know them-" Obi-Wan suddenly cut off, as if he had just remembered something and whipped his head to look down at Luke. "Wait a minute...You...I wonder..." The Master said nothing more, instead turning and heading for the nearest aircraft, leaving behind two very confused Jedi. Anakin looked to Luke, who looked to him.

"I have no idea." Luke shrugged, following after Obi-Wan.

"Who could this person be?" Anakin wondered aloud. Surely Obi-Wan hadn't gotten a new student.

Jealousy flared within Anakin, who quickly squelched it. No...It was impossible.

He abruptly stopped, spinning on his heel and placing his hands on Luke's shoulders again, startling the boy.

"Master Skywalker?"

"Luke! Actually..." Anakin faltered, his brow furrowing and blue eyes showing the internal debate he was having. "We'll talk later, when we're aboard the the Resolute."

* * *

 ** _-Cw-_**

Anakin had, as he had said, hunted down Luke once he had boarded the Resolute and made sure Obi-Wan was receiving the medical treatment he needed, finding the teen working in one of the hangars of the cruiser.

"Luke."

"Master Skywalker!" Luke scrambled to his feet, dusting himself off as the Knight approached him. He felt nervous, thoughts of why Anakin wanted to speak with him having plagued his mind during the entire flight to Coruscant. He wondered if he was in trouble, but figured that that couldn't be it. But if that wasn't it, what was it?

A strange look seemed to cross over Anakin's features before he shook his head, as if clearing it. "I know it's only been a few months, but...Well," The Knight paused, as if unsure of how to continue. He also seemed...nervous? Now Luke was feeling even more nervous. "Ah, kriff it." Anakin cursed, straightening, tucking his arms against his sides as he gazed down at the small teen. "Luke, I was wondering if you'd do me the honor of becoming my Padawan." It wasn't a question, but it still caught Luke off guard.

For a moment, Luke only stood there, staring at Anakin in surprise.

"I don't know why, but I feel connected to you, Luke, and when we first met, I felt a bond already forming." Anakin found himself explaining, hoping Luke wouldn't refuse becoming his Padawan. He knew he'd always told Obi-Wan to bug off when his former Master pestered him to take one, telling him he didn't want a Padawan, but after meeting Luke and working with the boy, Anakin found that he enjoyed his presence. It was soothing and the boy shared many of his own interests. Luke also seemed to understand him, but it wasn't only that. There was so much more. "I asked Yoda about it, but you know how the troll is. Cryptic and elusive as ever. There's a lot more I could tell you, but I was hoping you'd become my Padawan."

"Really?" Luke finally managed to utter in barely concealed joy. His Father wanted him to be his Padawan!?

Anakin bit his lip, nodding. "What do you say, Luke? Think you could handle being my Padawan?"

"Force, yes!" Luke burst out in excitement, and without thinking, had thrown his arms around the Jedi Knight. Taken aback by the suddenly embrace, Anakin chuckled and patted the Luke's back. Even though he hadn't chosen to say the customary response, Anakin found he didn't care. In fact, he was happy Luke had decided to answer in his own way.

"Well, Padawan," Anakin said, trying out the title, watching as Luke perked up from it, "I don't know about you, but I'm famished. Once we eat, I'm sure we can work on fixing one of the shuttles."

"Yes, Master!"

* * *

 _ **-CW-**_

 __"Here we are, Master!" Anakin enthusiastically told Obi-Wan once he brought their speeder to a stop on the Med-Center Landing Pad. Obi-Wan took a moment, half his body pressed back against the seat he was in and eyes closed as he willed himself not to lose his lunch. Anakin's flying was insane! Today was even worse, however, with Luke calling out new things for Anakin to try with the Speeder, and Anakin was more than happy to please the teen. Obi-Wan was surprised they had all managed to stay belted in the speeder with how reckless Anakin had been flying. There were many times Obi-Wan could feel himself slipping but miraculously stayed in his seat, Luke laughing the whole time and Anakin smiling widely, pleased.

"You are going to be the death of me, Anakin." Obi-Wan darkly commented, shaking his head. Luke's laughter died down, his expression becoming pained at the words Obi-Wan had spoken. Obi-Wan gave him a concerned look, sensing Luke's sudden change in mood. Anakin didn't seem to notice something was off, busy messing with the controls of the speeder, a look of intense concentration marring his features. "Luke, are you alright?" Obi-Wan asked him, catching Anakin's attention. Anakin sat up, glancing over his shoulder to look at Luke, suddenly sensing the deep-seeded grief the teen was keeping at bay.

Luke seemed to shake himself from whatever daze he was in and smiled widely. "I'm alright." He answered. The two men weren't convinced, but they said nothing. Luke watched Obi-Wan as the Jedi Master slipped out of the speeder and placed himself ten feet away from it, obviously thankful to have his two feet on the ground. Luke's smile slowly faded into a somber frown.

' _He doesn't realize just how true his words are.'_ He sorrowfully thought, opening his door and jumping out. Anakin followed after them, the three heading for the Med-Center connected to the Jedi Temple.

"So, who is it we're going to see, Obi-Wan?" Anakin pestered the man. Obi-Wan rolled his eyes at Anakin's persistence. He just wouldn't leave him alone about this mysterious person Obi-Wan was going to visit.

"You will see, former Padawan-mine." Was all he said, walking through the doors that had parted to allow them entrance. Luke bounced in after them, eyeing the place disdainfully. He wondered how the Healers would react to seeing him again.

"Ah, Kenobi!" Vokara Che's voice warmly greeted them, the Twi'leck woman approaching them.

"Master Che," Kenobi returned, tilting his head.

"Come to rescue your poor, tortured friend?" Vokara Che knowingly guessed, earning an affirmative answer from Obi-Wan. Anakin pursed his lips. Who was this 'friend' Che was talking about? He truly wanted to know.

"That I am, Master Che. I'm afraid I am a little late..."

"Ha! A little!" Vokara chortled, her head tails swaying as she shook her head. "I'm going to warn you, Obi-Wan," The Twi'leck called after them as they walked further down the corridor. "She is not very happy at the moment, and it seems she has managed to escape her room!"

"Again?" Obi-Wan shook his head in exasperation. "Why am I not surprised?"

"She?" Luke overheard Anakin mutter under his breath, glancing up to see his Father's gaze burning into Obi-Wan's back. He smothered an amused grin that threatened to rise. He knew Obi-Wan was purposefully not telling Anakin just who they were meeting. They reached the room this 'friend' was supposedly in, and when Obi-Wan opened the door, it was to find that the room was indeed empty.

Luke waited outside in the corridor as Obi-Wan entered the room with Anakin close behind. When Luke made to move to go after them, he was struck with a familiar presence.

His blue eyes widened, his lips parting in surprise.

Could it be..?

The room...The presence was strong in there. Hope rose within Luke, and the Jedi made to run into the room to see if it was who he thought it was.

Right before Luke could enter the room, a shout rang throughout the hallway. It was a melodious voice accompanied with an accent Luke would recognize anywhere. A voice he had been longing to hear ever since his arrival here in the past.

" _LUKE!?_ "

He had no time to react when he was barreled over by a blue blur, arms wrapping tightly around him and squeezing the life out of him. "Luke!" The voice cried out again, muffled from the being's face being buried in the fabric of his tunic, the small body trembling.

Luke couldn't believe it. He was frozen. Neither registered the fact that Obi-Wan and Anakin had stepped out into the hallway to see what the commotion was about.

It felt like forever, but Luke finally gathered his fragmented thoughts together and breathe out a name.

* * *

 _ **-CW-**_

 _ **There you have it! Another nice, long, chapter! I hope it was worth reading! Next one should be up soon. I promise!**_


	10. Reunion

_**As promised, here is the chapter I promised to put up soon! Just a bit of a warning, it's been so long since I've seen Episodes 1 and 2 (Never seen Episode 3), so I'm not exactly sure if I will get the story straight, so if you guys would be so kind as to fix any mistakes I make, that'd be very much appreciated! We used to own the movies, but my youngest brother managed to completely destroy them... :/ And I didn't find that out until recently, since he tried to hide the evidence. Anywho, I hope you all enjoy!**_

* * *

 _ **-CW**_ -

 _Right before Luke could enter the room, a shout rang throughout the hallway. It was a melodious voice accompanied with an accent Luke would recognize anywhere. A voice he had been longing to hear ever since his arrival here in the past._

 _"LUKE!?"_

 _He had no time to react when he was barreled over by a blue blur, arms wrapping tightly around him and squeezing the life out of him. "Luke!" The voice cried out again, muffled from the being's face being buried in the fabric of his tunic, the small body trembling._

 _Luke couldn't believe it. He was frozen. Neither registered the fact that Obi-Wan and Anakin had stepped out into the hallway to see what the commotion was about._

 _It felt like forever, but Luke finally gathered his fragmented thoughts together and breathe out a name._

* * *

 ** _-CW-_**

 _"Lariss?"_ Luke whispered, stunned. It wasn't long before he reciprocated the crushing embrace his sister had him trapped in, receiving a face-full of dark blonde hair by doing so. "Lariss!"

"You're here! You're really here!" Lariss gushed out. She then pulled away, fixing Luke with a worried gaze. "Do you have any idea how _scared_ I was? I was _worried_ about you!" She snapped, though there was immense relief and overwhelming joy coating every word she spoke. Luke incredulously looked at her.

"And you don't think _I_ was?" He shot back. "I thought you were gone, Lariss! I couldn't find you anywhere! And believe me, I looked! There wasn't a day that passed that I didn't spend trying to find you!"

Lariss blinked, shaking her head. "I tried doing the same! Where have you been?"

"Here." Luke answered and Lariss looked horrified.

"What!?" She squeaked out. "You were here the whole time and I never noticed!?"

"What do you mean?" Luke wanted to know, not understanding why Lariss was looking so guilty.

"Every day I spent here in the Temple," Lariss muttered, obviously berating herself. "And never once did I think to look for you here."

"I'm lost." Anakin's voice interjected, startling the two teens, who raised their heads up to see both Kenobi and Anakin staring down at them from the doorway.

"As am I." Obi-Wan nodded, raising a questioning eyebrow. "Lariss, care to explain?"

"Um, yes, Master!" Lariss was on her feet at once, tugging Luke up with her, never once relinquishing her hold on his hand. Both teens were beaming, their Force Signature brightening from having found one another again. Luke sidled closer to Lariss, taking comfort in the fact that he had his sister by his side again.

"Woah, woah, woah, wait just a minute," Anakin cut in before Lariss could answer. "Master?" He turned to give Obi-Wan a look. Obi-Wan sighed.

"It is impolite to interrupt, Anakin, but yes, Lariss is my new Padawan learner." Obi-Wan answered Anakin's silent inquiry.

"Really?" Luke and Anakin said in unison, Luke looking at Lariss.

"It's true." Lariss said to him, grinning a bit. She shifted when Luke gave her a long look, knowing exactly what was going through his mind. "Master Kenobi asked me to become his Padawan Learner just a few weeks ago." She seemed happy. Luke softly smiled, but he had MANY questions for her.

"Whatever happened to never taking on another Padawan, Obi-Wan?" Anakin questioned, crossing his arms, silently demanding that the Jedi Master explain himself. Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. There was a brief pang of jealousy that ran through him, but Anakin paid it no mind.

"A story for another time, Anakin." Obi-Wan evasively answered, returning his attention to the two teens before them. His expression suddenly changed from his normally neutral look to one of realization. He snapped his fingers, eyeing Luke and Lariss. The two were practically mirrors of one another! Both had the same shade of blonde hair, the same eye color, and exact facial structure. The only difference was their gender, hair length, and height.

Twins, Obi-Wan thought, surprised.

Luke and Lariss's name should have given that away to him. Luke claimed to be Luke Solo, and when Obi-Wan had met Lariss, she, too, had introduced herself as a Lariss Solo. And hadn't Lariss told him that she had a brother? A twin? But...How did they come to know one another, was what Obi-Wan had forgotten to ask her. Jedi normally separated family members for fear of attachments, but Luke and Lariss had clearly known one another for some time and had grown quite close.

Anakin seemed to have come to the same realization, for he started in surprise, eyes widening.

"Wait, you're his sister!" He remarked aloud.

"And you must be Master Skywalker." Lariss replied, barely concealing her surprise and joy. Luke, however, could feel it through their bond, which had opened since Lariss had practically bowled him over.

' _Luke, it's him! It's Father!'_ He heard Lariss enthusiastically say through their bond, projecting her overwhelming joy at being reunited with him.

' _Yes, it is, Lariss...Father is here.'_ Luke quietly sent back to her, thrilled that he could now communicate with her. He gently squeezed her hand, the twins smiling at one another, blue orbs twinkling. Neither of them noticed the looks on both Kenobi and Skywalker's faces. They were studying the twins intently, taken aback by the power emitting from them both. Now that they were together, the Force was so much more stronger. It was no wonder they were separated at birth!

 _'But how did they come to be so powerful?_ ' Obi-Wan wondered to himself, eyeing Anakin in the corner of his eye. ' _Together, their power could rise higher than that of Anakin's.'_

It was a bit of a frightening thought to Obi-Wan, who was trying to solve this puzzle. The twins were mysterious, and secretive. He knew barely anything about Lariss, and couldn't get her to open up to him. All he had gotten was little information about her family and a little glimpse in her past. He had immediately noticed how reluctant Lariss was to use the Force, however. If she could avoid it, Lariss would, which made him curious. There was also a tendril of darkness in the girl, something that concerned him. He had felt the Force urging him to take her under his wing, though, and who was Obi-Wan to deny the promptings of the Force?

"Well, Padawan, you've found one sister." Anakin told Luke, who happily nodded in agreement. Obi-Wan made to agree when he realized what Anakin had said. Sharply looking to the Knight, he incredulously repeated,

"Padawan?"

Anakin shrugged. "Yeah."

Obi-Wan waited, giving Anakin the do-go-on look. "I thought you didn't want one."

"I didn't." Anakin nodded. "Then I met Luke."

"Indeed..." Obi-Wan studied Luke. This boy was growing more interesting. He had even caught Anakin's attention, and Obi-Wan knew how reluctant Anakin was about getting a Padawan. He had refused even the Council! Obi-Wan, himself, had been about to find a Padawan for Anakin, but it looked like he wouldn't need to. "Well, come along then, Padawans. We will need to show you your new quarters."

"Quarters?" Luke and Lariss repeated, glancing at one another.

"We're right next door to each other." Anakin told them as the four headed out of the Med-Center. "In fact, Obi-Wan and I's quarters are conjoined."

"Oh. So where do we go?" Luke asked, curious.

"With us, of course." Came the answer. "Unless you wish to be moved to where the Padawans live."

"No, thank-you." Luke and Lariss chimed, not wanting to be separated.

"Thought so." Anakin smirked.

* * *

 ** _-CW-_**

After being shown to their quarters, Luke being given a room in Anakin's apartment and Lariss taking over Anakin's old room he had used when he was Kenobi's Padawan, the two siblings met with one another after their Masters had left.

"I still can't believe it." Lariss was the first to speak as she and Luke sat on the couch in Obi-Wan's apartment. The place was sparkly clean, though that didn't surprise them. It also felt light, comforting, and safe.

"Me neither." Luke said, leaning back against the couch, gripping the steaming mug he held in his hands. "Took me some time to actually accept the fact that we were sent here, in the past."

"A good twenty-three years, I'd reckon." Lariss nodded, shifting so that she was comfortable. She sat in a meditative stance on the sofa, turning so that she was facing Luke. Her blue orbs were swirling with guilt and a hint of sadness.

"Lariss?"

"I'm sorry, Luke." Lariss suddenly said. Luke tilted his head, furrowing his brow.

"What for?"

"Not trying harder." Lariss answered, averting her gaze so that she was staring out the window.

"For what?"

"Looking for you. Well, at first, I wasn't able to. Remember that vision I told you about?"

"Yes." Luke replied, sitting up. "It was Ben! That's why I recognized his voice!" He realized. Lariss nodded.

"It was him."

"Wait..." Luke jerked his head towards his sister, remembering everything else the vision had contained. "You were trapped! What happened?" He demanded to know, concerned as he checked over his sister with the Force.

"I'm not sure." She shrugged, sipping the hot cocoa she held in her hands. "All I remember is waking up to find myself surrounded by debris and fire. Then Obi-Wan appeared with the Clones and pulled me out. Luckily, they had brought a medical shuttle and were able to give me some bacta patches for the burns I'd received. After that, Master Kenobi brought me to the Temple, seeing as I was Force Sensitive, then allowed me to accompany him on some of his 'lighter' missions. It wasn't long before he asked me to become his Padawan."

"And I've been meaning to ask you about that." Luke said, facing his sister. "You firmly stated that you would never have anything to do with the Force. You were adamant in that notion. Why the sudden change of mind?"

"Qui-Gon."

"Qui-Gon?" Luke questioned.

"The man visited me in a vision. Told me if I didn't open myself up to the Force, it would be detrimental to whatever we're trying to achieve here."

"I take it he told you everything about the imbalance, then?" Luke stated rather than questioned. Lariss lips curled downwards as she shook her head.

"Not everything. But he did tell me that there was a reason I became Obi-Wan's Padawan and you became Father's."

"What?" Now Luke was confused. "Did you have this vision recently? I didn't become his Padawan until today."

"No. I had it a couple of weeks ago. He hinted to the fact that you were to become his Padawan. I just didn't understand what he meant at the time." Lariss said, straightening her legs and crossing them. "He said we needed to watch after them." Her brows beetled together. "He also said that we needed to be wary of Palpatine."

"Tch, as if we didn't know that already."

Lariss looked at him. "Not only because of who he is. If Palpatine were to learn about us, if he were to discover how powerful we were...We'd be in grave danger, and so would Obi-Wan and Anakin. We have to stay hidden from him for as long as we can."

"True." Luke agreed, his nose crinkling at the thought of meeting Palpatine again. He didn't like the man one bit. His presence...The pure darkness that surrounded him. It had chilled Luke to the bone. It was such an uncomfortable feeling, one he'd never get used to. How the Council and the Jedi managed to overlook this, he would never know. "I only wish we knew what the imbalance was. What could have caused a shift in the Force? What could have possibly happened that changed everything..."

"Qui-Gon insinuated that it had something to do with both Kenobi and Father." Lariss told Luke, standing as she took his mug and walked over to the kitchen. Luke stood and followed, leaning against the counter as Lariss washed them out and put them aside. She then headed for the fridge, looking to see what there was that she could make for dinner. "I think we've found the other Chosen One."

"Kenobi?" Luke raised both his eyebrows at this declaration.

"It has to be. Think about it," She started to say, pulling out some meat and fruit from the fridge, setting them on the counter. Luke immediately worked on cutting the fruit into pieces, having grown used to helping Lariss in the kitchen back in their time. He pulled a plate out from the cabinet and set the pieces of fruit onto it, lining them up with the edge. Lariss turned on the stove and waited for it to heat up. "He is as ingrained in the Light as Palpatine is in the Dark. It makes sense for Obi-Wan to be the second Chosen One. Father was once a part of the Light, but not entirely embedded in it. He had always struggled with the Dark Side, or so Vader explained to me."

"Vader?" Now, that was a surprise.

"He happened to be in a good mood on that day." Lariss bitterly reminisced. "Unlike most other days. Rare moments such as those were times Vader would give me clues as to what happened to Anakin Skywalker. It also appears that they caused the imbalance we sensed."

"They did?"

"That's what he hinted to." Lariss absentmindedly replied, checking the heat of the stove. Finding that it was the perfect temp, she placed the meat in the pan and started to cook. Almost at once, a pleasant aroma of the meal she was cooking filled the entire kitchen. Luke was becoming even more hungry now.

"I don't see how. They seem pretty close..."

Lariss hummed in agreement. "They do. But if they were so close, what caused Father to fall?"

"Don't you know?" Luke asked his sister, remembering what Leia had told him before. "Leia mentioned that you knew what led Father to become Vader."

Lariss paused in what she was doing, her hand stopping halfway from reaching for the spatula on the counter. She was silent for a moment, not speaking a word as she grabbed the spatula and moved the meat in the pan. Luke shifted, sensing the anger his sister was trying to shield from him.

"Lariss?" He cautiously called, timidly taking a step back. Lariss inhaled and exhaled deeply, trying to banish her anger. Luke bit his lip, wondering what he had said to cause his sister to grow angry.

"I don't quite _know_ per se. But I have a feeling it had something to do with Father feeling that he wasn't quite accepted among others."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, for example, the Council and the Jedi in general." Lariss started to explain. The way she said the titles still held a scornful and mocking tone, one Luke had grown accustomed to hearing whenever Lariss would mention the Jedi and Council of the Old Republic. "The Council was also a bit...harsh with Father when he was a Padawan and even when he became a Knight. They didn't understand him. They feared him."

"Because of what he was." Luke guessed, earning an affirmative nod.

"Aye. Father didn't control his emotions. He was always expressive, something they were greatly concerned about. You know how Jedi believe 'there is no emotion, only peace,'" Lariss sardonically quoted the Jedi Code. This was actually news to Luke. Jedi didn't believe in emotions? He'd never heard of that! "Well, Father didn't follow the Code as well as they would have liked. He was rebellious, even though he usually had the best intentions in mind...Most of the time, when Father did anything, the Council would rebuke him, try to set him in his place. That only fueled the fire." She quietened a little, eyes dancing with sorrow and understanding. "The Jedi were always a little nervous around him. There were few who could feel comfortable around him because he was the fabled Chosen One. It made Father a bit lonely, left out. They would work with him, and tolerate him, but that was only out of kindness. It hurt him more than anyone realized. It was why Father would normally turn to that scum Palpatine." She spat out the name with such venom that it startled Luke. He watched as her vibrant blue orbs darkened to an almost black color. "That cur, always pretended to care for Father- pretending to be that loving, doting grandfather figure Anakin could turn to when he was frustrated. It was how Palpatine manipulated Father." Her grip tightened on the pan handle, her knuckles turning white as Lariss scowled darkly.

Luke shivered from the sudden cold that seemed to fall over the apartment. It was that same feeling he had felt when he first met Palpatine and Vader, only less bone-chilling. He wondered if he should allow Lariss to continue, seeing as this appeared to be a rather sensitive subject for his sister.

"What of Obi-Wan?" He found himself asking. His sister blinked herself back to the present at his question, frowning as she stared down at the meat she was cooking.

"Obi-Wan...It's...He was there, but he wasn't there, you know."

"...What?" That made no sense to Luke. Lariss rolled her eyes at him.

"Obi-Wan did care for Father. From what I gathered, he was like a Father and a brother to him, but he wasn't very open."

"What do you mean?" Luke leaned forward, interested in learning more.

Lariss finished with the meat and placed it on another plate, setting it down on the table nearby. She walked over the cabinets and started pulling out a few plates and utensils, handing them over to Luke, who neatly placed them on the table. They did the same with the mugs before strolling into the Living Area and seating themselves on the couch.

"You see, Obi-Wan was very secretive about his past. He didn't tell Anakin much about himself and he was usually a bit distant. It frustrated Father. He didn't feel he could really talk to Obi-Wan, actually talk." Lariss emphasized the word as if to get Luke to understand what she meant by it. "See, I'm certain Obi-Wan wanted to help Father, he just wasn't sure how. He was raised a Jedi, who are much too sheltered when it comes to emotions and feelings, so when Anakin would come to him, Obi-Wan wasn't exactly sure how to. He would often rebel against the Council for him, and he would always defend Father when someone would nag at him, but I guess it wasn't enough in the end." Lariss mumbled the last few words.

"Do you think he knew about Mother?" Luke asked after a brief moment of silence.

"Yes." Lariss nodded, stretching. She was tired! The past few months had been full of excitement, confusion, worry, and adventures that Lariss had rarely ever rested. Now that she had reunited with Luke and returned to the Temple for a short reprieve, she felt drained. Physically and emotionally speaking. "He knew all right, but he never said anything, hoping Father would approach him and admit that they were married."

"But he never did..." Luke presumed, though he had a pretty good feeling that was what Lariss would say.

"No." Lariss softly uttered, sadness dancing in her dark blue orbs. "He never did."

The twins said nothing for a while, instead choosing to enjoy one another's company. Luke could sense the growing weariness in Lariss and shook his head as he watched Lariss fight to remain awake. Sending a light Force-suggestion, Luke lulled his sister to give in to sleep. It wasn't long before Lariss's head dropped against his shoulder, her eyes closing as she finally allowed herself to rest. Luke smiled and wrapped an arm around his sister, resting his head on top of hers. It was good to have Lariss back. He had missed her presence greatly. Without Lariss, Luke had felt a little lost. He had Leia, but she was still in the future. Thinking over everything Lariss had told him, Luke tried to piece together a possible cause for the imbalance. It was centered around both Anakin and Obi-Wan, but what had they done to cause it? Was it because of the distance Lariss had mentioned?

No, something whispered to Luke. It was something more than just distance. He highly doubted that distance would have caused his Father to fall to the Darkside. So, if that wasn't it, what was it?

He supposed he would have to wait to learn more. For now, he and Lariss would need to keep their Father rooted in the Light. They would need to help him fight away the promptings of the Dark Side. That, he would later find, would be easier said than done.

* * *

 _ **-CW-**_

Anakin and Obi-Wan left the Council Chambers in silence, both tired and weary from how long the day had been. The two couldn't wait to return to their apartments and sleep the night away!

"Another mission." Anakin muttered, dragging his feet along as they trudged down the Corridor towards their destination.

"Indeed." Obi-Wan tiredly hummed, running a hand through his hair. It had grown longer than he had expected, giving him a youthful look. He had yet to cut it, something Anakin protested against, claiming that by cutting his hair, he would appear older than he truly was. It was the same argument Anakin had given him when Obi-Wan had decided to grow a beard, but he did anyway. He had looked very young when he was Knighted after Qui-Gon's death, and it wasn't long after taking Anakin as his Padawan that Obi-Wan became a Master. Twelve years Obi-Wan had been Anakin's Master. Twelve long, but never boring, years. With Anakin as his Padawan, Obi-Wan was surprised he hadn't grown any grey hairs. The boy was a bundle of wild energy, always zipping here and there, fixing this or that, or causing this and that and the other. He was quite the troublemaker too. Thankfully, Obi-Wan knew how to cover-up any disasters that Anakin would create. Well, mostly. There were a few times Anakin had been caught, but Obi-Wan managed to salvage those situations. Never would Obi-Wan have imagined that one day, he would end up standing up against the Council and bending their rules, but with Anakin, that seemed to be impossible to avoid.

But if Obi-Wan were to be honest, he would admit that he enjoyed it. It had taken him some time to become the laid-back Master that he was instead of being the rule-abiding, strict Jedi Code follower he once was. Then again, he had Anakin to thank for that. After Anakin had been Knighted, Obi-Wan had vowed never again to take another Padawan.

And now here he was, with a second Padawan.

Lariss Solo.

That girl was an enigma to Obi-Wan. The same as her brother, Luke Solo. He frowned, deep in thought. He knew the twins were lying about their names. He had sensed that the name 'Solo' wasn't their name. They were hiding their identity, but why?

He shook his head, deciding to think about it later. He had felt the Force assuring him that they were of no danger. So he trusted in the Force. Lariss was quite a handful, but she was helpful and intelligent. She did, however, seem to struggle with reigning in her emotions, reminding Obi-Wan a lot about Anakin. She was reckless, something Obi-Wan had grown used to, but never too reckless. She did think before acting... _Most_ times.

But it was most interesting to Obi-Wan. The fact that both Lariss and Luke Solo seemed to appear in their lives simultaneously. Anakin had explained to him earlier of when he had met Luke. The date coincided with the day Obi-Wan had first rescued Lariss, after finding her in a burning Separatist facility. Not only that, but Obi-Wan had asked Lariss to be his Padawan and Anakin had done the same with Luke.

Coincidence?

Obi-Wan didn't think so. There was more to this than the Force was willing to share. Luke, he had learned from the boy, had had two Masters before Anakin, both of whom had passed. He felt empathetic towards the boy, knowing full-well the pain of losing a Master. The boy also came from Tatooine, he had later found out when he and Anakin had showed the twins where their apartments were located. Anakin had been surprised, and a bit horrified, and even Obi-Wan was taken aback. Thankfully, much to Anakin's relief, Luke hadn't been a slave. He had lived on a Moisture Farm until his aunt and uncle were killed.

But, this...that piece of information nagged at Obi-Wan. Both Anakin and Luke were from Tatooine. He felt this information was important, he could feel it in the Force. Lariss, though, had only had one Master, but she wouldn't go into detail about her past. She, too, had lost her Master during a Rebellion. He hadn't learned anything else, since Lariss chose not to talk about her past. Obi-Wan often wondered why. He could sense the pain and nervousness she felt anytime someone questioned her about her past, and the girl would suddenly transform into a quiet, cold, person who would isolate herself from others for a long period of time. He had decided never to bring it up again, unless it was absolutely necessary. He couldn't help but feel suspicious. Why would Lariss feel nervous about someone discovering more about her past? What was she hiding that she feared?

"-Wan? Obi-Wan!"

Obi-Wan blinked several times, hearing Anakin distantly calling out to him. He found Anakin standing in front of him, waving a hand in front of his face.

"Obi-Wan? Are you with me?" The Knight asked, crossing his arms when Obi-Wan seemed to come out of whatever daze he was in.

"What? Were you saying something, Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked. Anakin huffed, falling into step with the Master as they turned a corner.

"I was asking you what you were thinking about."

"The twins." Obi-Wan answered, earning an inquisitive look from Anakin.

"What about them?"

"There is something about them..."

Anakin paused mid-step, looking to Obi-Wan. "You've noticed it too?"

"Yes." Obi-Wan nodded, slowing to a stop in the middle of the corridor. "I don't know what it is, but I feel that they are very important."

"And they're hiding something from us." Anakin added.

"You've sensed it as well, I see." The Jedi Master crossed his arms, thinking about the twins. "But I do not sense any ill will or danger from the two."

"Neither do I." Anakin agreed. "There's one thing, however..."

"Yes?" Obi-Wan gestured for Anakin to continue, wanting to know what it was that had caught Anakin's attention.

"He claims a Master Ben trained him." He shot Obi-Wan a doubtful look. "I've never heard of a Master Ben. Have you?"

"No." Obi-Wan shook his head, a thought coming to mind. "I searched for a Master Ben in the Records but found nothing. I even looked in the Records for the dead, but there was no 'Master Ben' marked among them. I also searched Lariss and Luke's names."

"And? Did you find anything?"

"Nothing." Obi-Wan's answer was not what Anakin was expecting. "Which reminds me...The most shocking thing I discovered about Lariss was that she had no record whatsoever."

"What do you mean?"

"Whenever I first met Lariss, she was severely injured." Obi-Wan began, recounting his story briefly to Anakin. He explained to Anakin how he and his men had been called out to explore an abandoned Separatist Base on the peaceful planet of Hyra. They had arrived only to find the base in shambles and burning. Obi-Wan and the Clones immediately set out to search for survivors, if there were any, when he stumbled upon Lariss.

* * *

 _"General!" Cody's voice called out to him. Obi-Wan turned to see the Clone Commander trying to make his way towards the Jedi, who had already slipped into the burning base. The Clone slipped whenever a piece of debris shifted underneath his foot, but managed to regain his balance and carefully drop to the ground nearby._

 _"What is it, Cody?" Obi-Wan asked._

 _"The radars picked up signs of life in the vicinity." Cody informed the Master. Obi-Wan hid his surprise. So there were survivors? Was this base, which was rumored to have been abandoned, not abandoned? Had the Separatists been secretly working in this base? If so, why did they have it destroyed? Was this survivor a Separatist?_

 _"How far away?" The Master asked, carefully making his way through the debris and avoiding the fires burning around them._

 _"According to Oddball, they should be around here somewhere..." Cody answered, trailing off as he searched the area for the possible survivor. Obi-Wan expanded his Signature, using the Force to locate whatever life form the radars had detected. What he found, was not what he was expecting. Startled, Obi-Wan opened his eyes and hastily made his way towards the presence he had felt. "General?"_

 _Obi-Wan didn't show any signs of having heard the Commander, moving large pieces of debris out of his way as he searched for what he had sensed. He suddenly came to a stop after removing a rather large portion of debris, staring down at the ground in shock. "Dear Force! There is a child here!" he exclaimed, rushing over to the child's side. It was a little girl, no older than fourteen, lying half-covered by heavy rubble, burns marring her fair skin, her hair singed and blackened by the ash. The fire illuminated her complexion. "Cody!" Obi-Wan shouted over the raging fire. "I need your men down here!"_

 _"Sir!" Came the quick response as Cody rushed back to the small opening they had entered, looking up at the Clones stationed there. "You heard the General! Move, move!"_

 _The Clones moved at once, sliding down to where Cody was and calling for a medic._

 _"What are you doing here?" Obi-Wan found himself wondering aloud, reaching out to check the girl's pulse. Thankfully, it was there, but it was weak. The girl's eyes fluttered open to reveal piercing, familiar, blue orbs. They were glazed over and unfocused as she looked around herself. When her gaze landed on him, she visibly started, chapped lips parting as if to speak._

 _No sound came out, her youthful features twisting in pain as she harshly coughed._

 _"Woah, there, little one." Obi-Wan calmly spoke, placing a comforting and restraining hand on her shoulder as she tried to move. "You're too injured to be moving. Relax."_

 _But she wouldn't listen. Her blue eyes locked onto his, pleading. "Br...Bro..." She tried to talk, but could only speak in fractions. "Brother..."_

 _"Brother?" Obi-Wan repeated, catching onto what she wanted to say. "You came here with your brother?"_

 _She managed a weak nod, clutching his free hand, silently begging for him to look for her brother. Obi-Wan hid a grimace, knowing that she was probably the only survivor._

"I will look for him, do not worry." He promised, casting Cody a look. The Clone Commander glanced over at the radar then back up at him, sadly shaking his head. Obi-Wan regretfully nodded, returning his attention to the injured girl. She was clearly in pain, but was willing it away using the...

 _Obi-Wan started. She was using the Force to ease her pain! And she was calling out to someone._

Her brother, he sorrowfully realized. But, who had trained this girl? He sensed no ill will from her. Did this mean that the Council had sent another Master-Padawan team to check the area out? If so, why hadn't they mentioned that vital piece of information with him? Had they already known that the Master and Padawan hadn't made it? Was that why he had been sent?

 _"Rest, child. We will get you out." He quietly uttered, sending a gentle Force Suggestion into her, urging her to give in and sleep. It didn't take much, and soon, the child was unconscious. "We need to get her medical attention, and fast. Cody," Obi-Wan looked up at the Commander, "Contact the Temple. Tell them we will be returning earlier than expected."_

 _"Yes, sir!" Cody saluted and left to do as he had been ordered._

* * *

 ** _-CW-_**

"True to my word, I returned to the Temple and immediately brought her to the Med-Center." Obi-Wan continued with his tale, Anakin listening closely. "This is where things get interesting. Master Che performed the necessary tests and gave Lariss the treatment she needed, but when she returned, Master Che informed me that Lariss had no records."

"No records?" Anakin repeated, wondering what Obi-Wan meant.

"As in, there were no records for her birth, records of past history, or of past visits to any med-center whatsoever. There was absolutely nothing. She had searched, but Master Che could find nothing about a Lariss Solo. Even the blood tests revealed nothing of who she was."

"Really?" Anakin couldn't believe it. "But, how's that possible?"

"It's not." Obi-Wan deadpanned, staring out the nearest window, watching the Coruscant traffic. "It's as if Lariss doesn't exist."

The Force suddenly swarmed around him, singing that he was onto something crucial. Obi-Wan pursed his lips, wondering what exactly he had stumbled upon. What was the Force trying to say?

"How...strange." Anakin lamely commented. He caught onto the look Obi-Wan was wearing and narrowed his eyes. "There's more to it, isn't there?" It wasn't really a question, but Obi-Wan answered nevertheless.

"Vokara Che has asked me to bring Lariss back to the Med-Center tomorrow. Something about her blood test. Apparently, after testing it, Che found something that, as she put it, 'was absolutely impossible.'"

"Huh." Was all Anakin said, wondering what that 'absolutely impossible' stood for.

"She would like to question Lariss and if possible, have Luke brought down as well."

"Luke?" Anakin raised an eyebrow. "Those two have barely been here and already they're getting into a heap of trouble."

"Indeed. It must be something serious for Vokara Che to be concerned. She claims to have re-run the tests over and over again with peculiar results."

"Did she tell you what those results were?" Anakin asked.

"No. She chose to keep the information classified for now until Luke and Lariss can clear things up a bit."

"Hm. Luke isn't going to like it."

"Neither will Lariss." Obi-Wan said. "Speaking of those two," He glanced at the chrono, "We should get moving. Lariss and Luke are probably waiting for us to return."

"As long as they have dinner ready..." Anakin trailed off, following after Obi-Wan as the Master stepped onto the lift.

"Lariss has done well with have dinner prepared. I never even asked her to cook, but she has taken it upon herself to make the meals. Unlike some other Padawan I knew."

"Hey!" Anakin immediately retorted, "You refused to allow me to cook without supervision ever since I blew up the oven!"

"How you managed that, I will never know." Obi-Wan said, thinking back on the incident.

"It wasn't me!"

"Oh yes, do forgive me! I had forgotten that it was the oven's fault."

"It was!" And then Anakin launched into a detailed explanation of the mechanism of the old oven and how it was the oven's fault that it had chosen to explode.

"I find it funny that the oven chose to explode at the exact time you decided to cook, Anakin." Obi-Wan remarked, not believing a word Anakin had spoken.

"Hmph! I bet if you had chosen to cook on that night, it would've done the same thing!"

"Oh, I'm sure." Obi-Wan sarcastically agreed. "Of all the times I used it, and even Qui-Gon, the oven chose to blow up the moment you touch it."

"See! The thing's as old as dirt!" Anakin defended himself, walking through the lift doors when they reached their floor. They walked in sync to the apartment, arguing back and forth of who was responsible for the oven's explosion. Of course, neither of them won the argument.

"Wait a moment," Obi-Wan held an arm out in front of Anakin, pausing when they reached the door to his apartment. "Didn't you just say that I refused to allow you to cook after, and I quote, you 'blew up the oven?'" There was a victorious twinkle in Obi-Wan's eyes and Anakin's own widened at his own slip.

"No!" the Knight hastily answered, earning a disbelieving look from Obi-Wan. "You must have misheard me." His tone was not at all convincing.

"Oh, really?"

"Yes. See, I told you you were growing old!"

"Mhm..." Obi-Wan shook his head, unconvinced. He quickly typed in his password to his quarters and the door hissed open. The two entered, Anakin about to speak again when they paused in the doorway, peering into the room to find that the lights had yet to be turned on. The apartment was also silent, as if it was empty. Obi-Wan and Anakin quietly entered, Obi-Wan turning the lights on. There was no one in sight.

"Where are the twins?" Anakin whispered, stepping further into the apartment.

"I have no idea. But I sense they're near." Obi-Wan replied. Anakin was about to speak when something caught his eye. His mouth formed an 'o' shape as he gestured Obi-Wan to come over. Obi-Wan did. He followed Anakin's line of vision to find two small bodies curled up on the couch in the Living Area. Both Luke and Lariss appeared to have fallen asleep while waiting for their Masters to return, Luke's arm wrapped around his sister and his head resting on her's. Their chests rose and fell steadily, and though they appeared to be sleeping, Obi-Wan could sense that they were still alert. Luke had, perhaps out of habit, stretched out his Senses, as if looking out for any kind of danger.

"They make for a peaceful picture." Anakin commented lowly, so as to not wake the twins.

"They do, don't they?" Obi-Wan silently made his way over to the twins, feeling guilty that he had to wake them. He placed a hand on Luke's shoulder, gently shaking the young boy awake. Luke blearily blinked as he came to, squinting against the sudden onslaught of light to see Obi-Wan standing in front of him.

"Master Kenobi?" He tiredly questioned, sitting up. Lariss shifted when she jolted awake, having felt Luke moving. She covered her mouth as she yawned, stretching her other arm up into the air.

"Master." She sleepily mumbled in greeting. "You're back."

"Yes, we are." Kenobi kindly smiled at the two teens, watching as the both of them stood but never once stepped apart from one another.

"Dinner's ready." Lariss informed him, still trying to wake herself up. Luke immediately perked up at the mention of food, and in the corner of his eye, Obi-Wan saw Anakin doing the same. He resisted rolling his eyes. Anakin was always hungry, no matter how much he ate.

"Good!" Anakin happily headed for the kitchen, searching for the food. "I'm famished!"

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan called after him, shaking his head at his rudeness. He sighed and looked to the twins with a kind smile. "Well, let's go eat."

Lariss and Luke trotted behind Obi-Wan as he entered the kitchen to find Anakin already seated at the table, impatiently waiting.

"Bout time!"

"We were hardly a few seconds behind you, Anakin." Obi-Wan muttered.

"Seconds too long!" The Knight complained, though he didn't really mean it.

"You're such a child." Obi-Wan took his seat while Lariss checked the warmth of the food on the table.

"I will warm this up, Master." Lariss offered, taking up the meat and rushing into the kitchen before Obi-Wan could stop her.

"That child," Obi-Wan sighed, leaning back against his seat. "Does everything before I can say a word."

Luke said nothing, knowing exactly why Lariss did. He discreetly looked over at his Father who had placed his hands behind his head and was balancing his chair on one leg, using the table leg for balance. He didn't look bad...Not a man Luke would've suspected turning to the Dark Side at first glance. But one could tell he was susceptible to it. Well, if they had the Force. His Father, he knew, did have a temper and was impatient, but he was still a good man at heart. When Lariss returned and set the meat down, the four started to serve themselves. Luke and Lariss ate very little, having grown used to eating only what was necessary while on missions. Anakin and Obi-Wan flashed them concerned looks, wondering why the teens weren't eating anymore but chose not to comment. Anakin finished his plate first while telling Obi-Wan that the Council had given him yet another mission. Obi-Wan told him in return that he, too, had been assigned one near Anakin's. Lariss and Luke would be accompanying them, which Luke found exciting.

Anakin, while Obi-Wan was explaining his mission, stealing Separatists plans, was eyeing the roll Obi-Wan had at the edge of his plate. Obi-Wan didn't even glance over at him when he lifted the chocolate roll with the Force and zipped it over at the Knight, who eagerly snatched it and ate it.

"So, what plan did you have in mind?" Anakin asked after finishing the roll and reaching for one of the sweet fruits in the middle of the table. Luke and Lariss automatically gathered the plates and utensils together, heading into the kitchen and washing them. Anakin and Obi-Wan stared after them, a little uneasy as they watched the twins work in sync with one another. The two, they had noticed, walked in sync, worked in sync, and sometimes would finish one another's sentences. It was a little odd for the two older Jedi, though many claimed that Anakin and Obi-Wan were the same.

"Not sure, honestly." Obi-Wan finally answered Anakin's question. The twins reemerged from the kitchen and took their respected seats, listening as Obi-Wan went into detail about the geography of the land, the enemy they expected to be in the vicinity, and what plans they were expected to get. Anakin would throw in some ideas here and there, but Obi-Wan would suggest a few flaws in the plans that could prove fatal. Anakin took these into consideration, mentally drawing out plan after plan until he finally came up with one Obi-Wan figured would work.

"You do realize that it will never work, right?" Anakin crossed his arms, a knowing look gracing his features. Obi-Wan shrugged.

"It is to be expected." The Master agreed.

"So...What then?" Anakin tilted his head in question.

"What do you mean 'What then'? You will do what you do best." Obi-Wan replied.

"And what's that?" Luke and Lariss asked in unison.

"Improvise." Both Anakin and Obi-Wan said in return. "It usually works."

The four stared at one another after Anakin and Obi-Wan had finished before laughing. "This will be an interesting partnership indeed." Obi-Wan cheerfully remarked, the three Skywalkers humming in agreement. "Besides, we all know you won't follow through with the plan."

"What? I usually do!" Anakin objected.

"No, you don't." Obi-Wan retorted with a scoff. "Anytime I come up with a plan, or we manage to piece one together, you always go off and do whatever you want."

"I do not!"

"Yes, you do."

"It's not my fault! Something bad always happens whenever we go on missions."

"I wonder why..." Obi-Wan sarcastically murmured. Anakin rolled his eyes.

"It's not because of me! I listen to the plans."

"Really?" Obi-Wan said in mock-surprise. "You, listen?"

"What are you trying to say?" Anakin's eyes narrowed on the Master.

"I'm just shocked that you actually listen. You never listen to me."

"What?! I do to listen to you!"

"Sometimes, I wonder."

"Hmph!" Anakin fell back against the back of his chair, arms crossed. "I do listen..." He mumbled, mock-hurt that Obi-Wan wouldn't believe him.

Obi-Wan decided to take pity on the pouting Knight. "If you say so." Eyes flickering over at the chrono, he added, "It's rather late. Let's turn in for the night and meet together at the Landing Bay D6 tomorrow."

"Right. Tomorrow then." Anakin affirmed, the four standing and heading over for the door. Luke hugged Lariss goodbye, bid Obi-Wan a goodnight and jogged after Anakin to their quarters next door. "Well," Anakin started, clasping his hands together once they entered the darkened apartment. "I'd imagine we'll be getting up around six tomorrow, then. Be sure to have everything packed by then."

"Yes, Master." Luke gave a slight bow, distantly thinking about how odd it was to call his Father 'Master.' They went their separate ways, Luke into his room to pack and Anakin into his room to sleep. As Luke packed, he started to think over what Lariss had told him earlier. The mission given to them by Qui-Gon seemed much harder than he had previously thought. How would they keep their Father from turning when they didn't quite know what led him to turn in the first place? Lariss had mentioned a few things that could have led to it, but she didn't know exactly what made their Father suddenly join the Dark Side.

Would he and Lariss be able to save their Father? Would they be able to do what was required of them to keep their Father ingrained in the Light?

Only time could tell, he supposed. He just had one question.

' _Lariss.'_

There was nothing for a moment, then,

' _What is it, Luke?'_

 _'When did Father turn? What year?'_

 _'Um...If I remember correctly,'_ Lariss paused for a moment, trying to remember. ' _Approximately 19 years before the Battle of Yavin...So, 19 BBY.'_

Luke's eyes widened marginally at this. ' _That's two years from now!'_

 _'I know it may seem like a long time, but it will be short. We need to tread with caution. We can't work fast, but we can't move slow. We need to decide what exactly needs to be done to prevent Order 66 from happening and how to keep Father in the Light.'_

 _'This is not going to be easy...But how will we know what to do?'_

 _'I'm not sure.'_ Lariss regretfully informed him.

Luke mulled over this for a moment. ' _Maybe I can ask Leia if she can find out what we need to change.'_

 _'Leia?'_ Lariss immediately perked up. ' _She's here?!'_

 _'No. But I can still contact her.'_

Utter confusion trickled into Luke's mind from their bond. ' _How is that possible? You shouldn't be able to...'_

 _'That's what we thought...but for some odd reason, the future is still running with the past.'_

 _'Oh...That's not good...Especially for Leia.'_ Dread crept into Luke upon hearing the tone of his sister's voice.

' _What do you mean?'_

 _'Luke...We're in the past, Leia's in the future. For some reason, both times are flowing together. Whatever we do here, whatever we change, will affect the future. The changes that occur here will occur there. Leia will be living in a constantly changing future. Nothing will be the same for a certain amount of time. She'll need to adapt to these abrupt changes and keep herself updated on what we did to the past that caused the future to shift.'_

 _'Then that is what I will do.'_ A new voice interrupted their conversation. Luke would recognize it anywhere.

' _Leia!'_ Luke and Lariss chimed, relief and excitement reverberating through their bonds.

' _Oh Lariss! Thank the Force you're okay!'_ Leia ecstatically sent to both of them. Luke could sense Lariss smiling, a huge burden having been lifted off of her chest. _'What happened? Are you alright? And Luke? How did you find her?'_

Before either Luke or Lariss could respond, Leia demanded, ' _Tell me everything.'_

So they did. Leia listened to everything intently, asking questions every once in a while. Her concern was evident when Lariss explained her tale of waking up in a ruined Separatist Base, but upon learning that both of her siblings were safe and uninjured (For the most part), was pleased.

' _You overheard everything we said earlier, right, Leia?'_ Lariss questioned.

' _Yes. And if that's what I need to do in order to help you, I will.'_

 _'It will be difficult, but I know you can do it. Thanks, Leia.'_

 _'Of course. Just be careful, you two. I have a feeling something is going to happen.'_

Luke and Lariss knew what she meant, for they, too, had felt it. The ominous feeling that crawled over them when they pondered over the near future. Something big was going to happen, but whatever it was...

' _You will need to be prepared for anything. Palpatine is powerful. If he should become even the least suspicious, he might strike earlier than expected.'_

 _'We know.'_ Luke somberly nodded in agreement. ' _Lariss and I promise to be careful, Leia.'_

 _'You'd better be.'_

* * *

 ** _-CW-_**

 ** _Okie. Finished! Not too exciting, but I hope the next chapter will make up for it!_**


	11. Chapter 10

_**Here we are! I'm not exactly sure how long this story will be, but I don't think it'll be too long**_

* * *

 _ **-CW-**_

 **The Next Day...Med-Center-**

Luke and Lariss trudged unhappily down towards the Med-Center, much to the amusement of Anakin and Obi-Wan. The older Jedi tried assuring them that everything would be fine only to receive dark glares from their two Padawans. Anyone who dared snicker at them would be silenced at once by one look from Lariss. Luke exhaled heavily, hoping that Master Che wouldn't keep them at the Med-Center for long.

They arrived five minutes early and waited in the lobby for Master Che to collect them. It wasn't long before Master Che entered the room and ushered Luke and Lariss inside, giving them a hard look.

"Thank-you for bringing them, Kenobi, Skywalker." The Twi'Leck healer acknowledged them. Obi-Wan dipped his chin in return.

"Of course. Is there something we should be concerned about?" He asked, watching as Lariss and Luke simultaneously hopped onto the sick-bed, conversing quietly between themselves. Lariss appeared worried, whispering quickly to her brother, who calmly spoke back to her. Vokara Che tilted her head, her head-tails swaying with the movement.

"I do not think so." She replied, glancing back at the twins, her dark eyes narrowing as she analysed their appearance. "I just hope they can clear up what it is I found. But before you go," She began, turning to face Skywalker, "I have to ask, Skywalker, do you know if you had any other family members? Any Uncles, aunts, perhaps?"

Anakin shot her a confused look. "No. It was just my Mother and I." He answered, a pained look flickering in his blue orbs at the mention of his Mother. Vokara Che bit her lip, clearly bewildered.

"Have you found something, Master Che?" Obi-Wan asked the Healer, also wondering why she had asked Anakin that question.

"I'm not sure." Che uncertainly answered, turning and heading for the room Luke and Lariss were in. "But I will let you know. Now shoo!" She waved the two away. "I would like to speak with them privately."

"Very well. When should we return?" Obi-Wan inquired, heading for the door with Anakin at his heels.

"Oh..." Vokara Che tapped her chin thoughtfully. "It won't be long. I'll just send them after you when I'm through."

"Don't frighten them too much, Master Che." Obi-Wan grinned, eyes twinkling as the Twi'Leck gave him a look.

"Kenobi, out." The Twi'Leck pointed at the door, fighting to suppress the smile that threatened to rise. Obi-Wan smiled widely, innocently passing through the door with Anakin walking beside him.

Once they were out of sight of the Med-Center, Anakin turned to Obi-Wan, a frown playing on his lips. "What do you think that was about?" He asked, referring to the odd question Che had asked and her elusive answers to their questions.

"I honestly do not know." Obi-Wan answered, stroking his beard as he pondered over what Vokara Che had said. "I only hope she will be able to explain to us the reason both the twins have no records."

Anakin didn't say a word, brow furrowed and lips pursed. The Knight was deep in thought, thinking about the twins. In the short time he had known them both, Anakin couldn't help but feel connected to them. Even Lariss, who he had only met the other day. It confused him greatly.

Obi-Wan watched him in the corner of his eye, concerned when Anakin remained silent for the remainder of their walk back to his quarters.

"Anakin." He softly called to the Knight, jerking him out of his thoughts. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah..."

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. He was unconvinced by the answer, and knew Anakin felt the same. "Is something bothering you? A vision? Nightmares?"

Anakin shook his head. "I haven't had any nightmar-" He whipped his head round to incredulously look at Obi-Wan. "How'd you know I had nightmares?"

"First off," Obi-Wan started to answer, the door to his apartment hissing open. He stepped to the side, allowing Anakin to enter first before going in himself. "I can sense you are troubled most nights, usually around midnight or some other unworldly hour, and second of all, I've seen you wondering about the Temple Grounds half the night."

Anakin looked guiltily after his Master, watching as Obi-Wan gathered two plates and started to make breakfast. Obi-Wan caught the look and shook his head.

"You don't need to feel bad, Anakin." He told the Knight, giving him one of the plates. "You seem to forget that I'm an insomniac."

"Do you have nightmares too, Master?" Anakin asked, waiting for the Master's answer. Obi-Wan silently worked on making batter for pancakes and for a moment, Anakin didn't think he would answer.

"Sometimes, yes." Obi-Wan admitted, much to Anakin's surprise. "Or visions. But most of the time, it's only because I can't sleep."

"Oh." Anakin dejectedly slumped against the table, his chin resting in his hand, the other playing with the edge of the tablecloth.

"Something's bothering you, Anakin." Obi-Wan stated, taking a seat at the table while waiting for the stove to heat up. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No...Well...Master, it's about the twins."

"What about them?"

"When I first met Luke, I felt a bond form right away."

Obi-Wan raised both eyebrows in surprise. "So soon?"

Anakin nodded. "It took me by surprise too. I meant to ask you or Master Yoda about it, but then we were sent on that mission to Felucia and I didn't have any time to. I also can't help but feel...that we're connected."

"Connected? In what way?"

"I'm not sure." Anakin chewed on his lower lip. "I just feel...that I should know him somehow. Both him and Lariss. I don't understand why, but the Force is telling me that they...they're somehow important to me."

"Strange." Obi-Wan lowly commented, folding his arms across his chest, casually leaning back against his chair. "I feel the same."

Anakin jerked his head back up at Obi-Wan. "What do you mean?"

"Luke and Lariss strike me as familiar. Especially Luke. I don't know what it is with the boy, but I also feel that I should know him somehow. Lariss, not so much. You know," Obi-Wan studied Anakin closely, noticing the strong resemblance between his former Padawan and the two twins, "I can't help but think that you three are related."

"Us?" Anakin repeated, taken aback by this bold declaration. "But...it's impossible, Obi-Wan! I had no other family. If I did, I'm sure my Mother would have said something."

"I was only saying." Obi-Wan raised his hands up in defense. "It is possible."

"Do you think..." Anakin trailed off for a second, wondering if Obi-Wan could be right. "Do you think that's why Master Che asked me if I knew of any other family members?"

"It's a possibility. I guess we will just have to wait and see."

"Fantastic." Anakin muttered, folding his arms together on the table and resting his head on them. "My favorite thing to do."

"Patience, Anakin." Obi-Wan grinned. "We'll get our answers soon enough."

' _I hope.'_

* * *

 _ **-CW-**_

"Now, Luke, Lariss," Vokara Che said as she closed the door to the medical room the twins were in, "I have a few questions I would like to ask you, and I want you to be completely honest with me."

"Why?" Lariss immediately asked, defiance evident in the gaze she pinned the Twi'Leck with. The girl straightened, her arms crossed. Vokara Che merely raised an eyebrow.

"What she means to say," Luke spoke up, placing a hand on his sister's shoulder, "Is that we will only provide responses to whatever question we wish to answer."

"Is that so?" Vokara Che asked, a little amazed with what Luke had said.

"Keh." Was all Lariss said, turning her head away and glaring at the wall. Luke gave her a disapproving look.

"There are a few sensitive subjects we aren't willing to talk about." Luke said to the Twi'Leck healer, flashing her an apologetic smile. Vokara blinked. That smile...those eyes...they reminded her of someone.

And she knew exactly of who it reminded her of.

Skywalker.

Looking over Lariss, Vokara found that the teen shared the same hair and eye color as Anakin. The teens resembled the Knight greatly that Vokara wasn't willing to dismiss the possibility that they were distantly related in some way.

"Very well...But I would like you to answer as best you can. As you know, I took a few tests when the both of you were in my care, and one of those, was a blood test."

"Yes." Luke's smile faltered a bit, alarm flashing in his blue orbs for a mere second before vanishing. Lariss only stared at her with a neutral look.

"What about it?" Lariss demanded to know, a little defensively. Vokara let the rudeness slide, wondering if what the blood tests revealed was correct, and the twins knew.

"I received some...interesting results from those tests." Vokara slowly informed them, watching their expressions intently. Luke kept himself controlled, and Lariss didn't appear at all affected. Her suspicions rose even more. The twins probably didn't know it, but they were proving the blood tests correct.

"Such as?" Luke calmly asked.

Vokara immediately cut to the chase, deciding to be forward instead of beating around the bush. "Are the two of you related to Skywalker?"

Luke and Lariss tensed, neither saying a word. "And if we are?" Lariss spoke for the both of them.

"I would like to know how." Vokara answered with ease, not at all intimidated with the look she was receiving from the teen. "From what I've learned, Skywalker had only one family member. His mother. There was no one else. At least, not to his knowledge. Yet your blood tests showed a remarkable resemblance to Skywalker. In fact, it was nearly spot on, which should be impossible, unless," She paused for a moment, "You were immediate family members." She said no more, waiting for what the twins had to say about this.

Lariss only rested herself against the wall, looking bored. Luke sat on the edge of the sick-bed, trying to think of a response.

"Another thing I would like to ask, is why the two of you have no records whatsoever."

"No records?" Luke echoed, shifting a little.

"I hate Med-Centers." Lariss mumbled under her breath, expression darkening. "Nosy healers..."

"That is what I am." Vokara said, amused. "Luckily, I am the only one who knows of this and I have chosen to keep the information classified, _if_ you explain to me how this is possible." She sternly looked down at them.

"Heh," Lariss chuckled. "You wouldn't believe us if we told you. And if we did tell you, and you did believe us, it would place someone we know in danger."

"Danger?" Vokara tilted her head at this. "Are we talking about Skywalker here?"

Luke flashed Lariss a confused and alarmed look. Lariss returned it.

' _What are you doing?'_ Luke hissed through their bond.

' _Just trust me on this, Luke. They're bound to find out anyways, and I would rather it's her and not the Council.'_ Lariss pointed out. Luke did not agree, though he didn't want the Council on his back. ' _If I remember correctly, Vokara Che was a trustworthy healer. If we can convince her to keep silent, we should be fine. The hard part is keeping Obi-Wan and Father from becoming suspicious when they realize she's keeping information from them.'_

 _'If you say so.'_ Luke muttered, still unsure.

Vokara watched the silent exchange quietly. What did Skywalker have to do with these two? They claimed that if they explained to her how the three were related, Skywalker could be in danger. In danger of what, though?

"Very well." Luke finally said aloud, their silent conversation having come to an end. "I have to ask, did you find anything else from the other tests?"

Vokara nodded. "Yes...According to the tests, the two of you should be twenty or so years old, yet you appear young."

"The thing is," Luke began, looking to Lariss. Lariss urged him to continue. "We are twenty."

Vokara didn't look amused. "That's impossible. If you were twenty, you wouldn't look fourteen."

"It's not like we asked to be fourteen again." Lariss grumbled. "I would give anything to be twenty again."

"Explain." Was all Vokara demanded. The medical tests had stated the twins were twenty, and those tests were hardly ever wrong. The Med-Center had the best supplies and equipment. The Jedi ensured that they received the best quality equipment that they were sure wouldn't fail them.

Luke inhaled deeply, as if he were about to launch into a long explanation of how it was possible. "You see, my sister and I...we aren't from this time."

"What?" This statement confused the Twi'Leck healer.

"We're from about twenty-two, or twenty-three, years in the future." Luke continued. "Our name isn't Solo. That's the name of our brother-in-law. We borrowed it so the Jedi wouldn't be alarmed by our true name."

"Which is?" Vokara pressed, wondering if what they were trying to say was exactly what the Twi'Leck had in mind.

"My name is Luke Skywalker," Luke re-introduced himself, his sister following in suit.

"And my name is Lariss Skywalker and we're Anakin Skywalker's children from the future."

Now, Vokara Che prided herself in remaining calm during difficult situations, but this...what these twins were trying to say...

She could only manage to say one thing that came to mind,

"Say _what!?_ "

* * *

 _ **-CW-**_

"That was tiresome." Luke remarked once he and Lariss left the Med-Center.

"And entertaining." Lariss added, her lips curling upwards in a smile as she recalled Vokara Che's reaction. Luke shook his head, grinning.

"I have to admit, it felt good to get that off my chest." He told his sister, who hummed in agreement. "Do you think she will keep her word and stay quiet?"

"Oh, yes." Lariss nodded. "She won't breathe a word. I think she'll be in shock for a few days, though."

Luke sort of felt bad for the Healer. After explaining how they were Skywalker's children, their claim having been supported by the numerous tests they had had to undertake, Vokara Che had asked them many other questions. A few were, how is it possible? What is your purpose here? She didn't seem at all stunned that Anakin had broken the Code and gotten married, though she wisely chose not to ask to whom. Luke and Lariss had given her vague answers to her questions, hinting that the Jedi were in danger and that they needed to save their Father. Vokara Che had not asked why, knowing that she shouldn't press them for details. She had promised them that she would keep all the information they had given her, and the tests, classified. She also assured them that she would give Obi-Wan and Anakin answers that would satisfy the two when they asked what Vokara had found that was unusual with her tests.

Content, the twins had left and were now returning to their Masters when Luke abruptly stopped.

"Lariss, didn't we have to leave today for a mission?" He asked her. Lariss gaped at him.

"We were!" The two then broke into a Force-induced run to their Masters' quarters. Once there, the two barged in, finding their Masters seated at the table having breakfast.

Obi-Wan greeted them first, seeing as Anakin was too busy eating his two pancakes.

"Welcome back. I see you survived your ordeal in the Med-Center."

"Yeah..." Luke and Lariss chimed, approaching the table and slowly seating themselves in the empty seats. What were their Masters doing? They had a mission they needed to go on, yet here they were, eating breakfast as if there was no need to rush.

"Did everything go well?" Anakin asked them, curious to know why they had taken so long at the Healers.

"Yes. Just a bunch of questions." Luke answered him, serving himself a pancake and grabbing a fruit from the plate in the center of the table. Lariss did the same, passing Luke the syrup before her brother could ask. Lariss cut her pancake and picked up one of the pieces with her fork. She placed it in her mouth and chewed, her eyes brightening.

"Chocolate!" She beamed at Obi-Wan, who chuckled at her.

"Yes, I didn't forget about the chocolate. Both you and Anakin seem to adore pancakes with chocolate in them."

"Lariss has a sweet tooth." Luke tsked. "Do you have any idea how many bags of sweets I find stashed away in her bags or in her room?"

"It's like you and your model ships." Lariss shot back, taking another pancake and setting it on her plate.

"How long have the two of you known each other?" Anakin interjected before the twins could get into an argument.

"Three years." Luke answered. Obi-Wan and Anakin shared a look. The twins had only known each other for three years, and yet, they were so close, as if they had known each other for much longer than that.

"Really?"

"Yeah." Luke bit into his fruit. He swallowed and added, "It was pretty shocking."

"I'd bet." Obi-Wan agreed, folding his hands beneath his chin as he leaned forward. "How did the two of you meet, if I may ask?"

"We were both sent on missions." Lariss answered before Luke could. "We crossed paths when our missions coincided not too long afterwards and it was by chance that we met."

"I didn't know at the time that we were related," Luke went on, "But Lariss did. It wasn't until we met again for the second time that I learned the truth." His eyes dimmed. Lariss reached over and grabbed his hand, earning a small smile from Luke. Anakin and Obi-Wan could sense the tenseness and grief afflicting Luke, and wondered if they should allow him to go on. But it made them curious to know what Luke had learned. What was this 'truth' that he had been told?

Anakin, for some reason unknown, felt that he didn't want to know.

"It wasn't one he was expecting." Lariss picked up where he left off. "He was told by someone who had known our parents that we were siblings...He also learned about the fates of our parents." She grimaced at this. "It was then that Luke had...his hand cut off."

Luke repressed the urge to flinch at the reminder, unconsciously gripping his arm with his good hand. Anakin's eyes immediately went to his own gloved arm then snapped them back to Lariss.

"Hold on a moment, if what you're saying is true...Then Luke learned this from that Sith he fought against?"

Obi-Wan started at this revelation. He hadn't known Luke had faced off with a Sith and lost his arm. He had suspected it, seeing as Luke wore a glove over it, hiding it from view. But this confirmed it.

Lariss didn't answer, leaving it to Luke to reply.

"Yeah. The Sith Lord told me."

"And you believed him? You know you can't trust a Sith."

"This Sith was different." Lariss told Anakin. "He did know our parents. He was once a close friend to our Mother."

"Once." Obi-Wan repeated, waiting for an explanation. "Something happened."

"We're not sure what happened. So many things transpired...and I guess...it was just too much." Lariss bit her lower lip. "He fell to the Dark Side out of desperation..."

"Wait a minute, this Sith, was he once a Jedi?" Anakin wanted to know.

"He was." Lariss affirmed.

"Dooku?"

"Dooku?" Lariss and Luke questioned in unison. They received incredulous stares.

"I see we need to fill you in for a lot of things." Obi-Wan remarked, stunned that their Padawans had little to no knowledge about Dooku.

"I guess so..." Anakin agreed, astonished.

"But first," Lariss cut in before the Masters could speak, "Didn't we have a mission to go on?" She asked.

"Yes." the two Jedi answered. "But, they were postponed. We'll be leaving tomorrow." Obi-Wan finished. Anakin snickered as he tipped his chair back, popping a few chocolates into his mouth. Obi-Wan caught sight of the chocolates and sighed in an exasperated manner. "Anakin! Quit eating all of the chocolates!"

Anakin didn't listen, biting into another chocolate while giving Obi-Wan his 'make-me' look.

"Anakin! I can't keep spending credits to get those chocolates, that are _supposed_ to last a _week_ , if you're going to eat all of them the next day!" Obi-Wan stressed, using the Force to seize the chocolate Anakin was currently holding and rip it away.

"Hey!" Anakin exclaimed, grasping the chocolate in return. Both Jedi concentrated on the chocolate floating between them. At some times, the chocolate would lean towards Obi-Wan, but other times, it would slip towards Anakin. Luke and Lariss watched as the battle continued, silently wondering if their Masters truly were adults or if they were children trapped in an adult's body.

"You've had enough for today, Anakin."

"No, I haven't!" Anakin immediately denied.

"Yes, you have. And if you continue eating them, you won't be able to have any more chocolate until next week." Obi-Wan threatened.

"I could always just head out and buy some." Anakin pointed out.

"Oh, really?" Obi-Wan raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "Then, why don't you?" The chocolate was getting closer to him when it jerked towards Anakin.

"Cause I don't want to." Anakin said, struggling to get his chocolate back. He couldn't help that they were just so delicious! Besides, it was rare for them to even have chocolate with all the missions they were constantly sent on. Might as well eat them all while they had them.

Luke and Lariss patiently waited, a plan forming in their minds. When Luke shared it with Lariss, the twin silently sent him her agreement through their bond. They continued to watch, waiting for the moment to hatch their plan.

Anakin and Obi-Wan were still busy squabbling over some random nonsense when the chocolate suddenly dropped. Right as the two were going to reach for it, the chocolate snapped in half and flew out of their reach. They watched as the twins took hold of their respective pieces then look up at them.

"It's ours now." The twins declared, flicking the chocolate into their mouths and chewing them. Anakin blinked, not believing that the twins had just eaten his chocolate, while Obi-Wan looked over at the spot where the chocolate had been hovering only moments before.

"Well..." He finally broke the silence, looking at his three companions. "I suppose that's one way to settle a dispute."

The twins only hummed in reply while Anakin muttered something under his breath.

"What was that, Anakin?" Obi-Wan questioned, amused.

"I said, they took my chocolate." Anakin grumbled, though his eyes were twinkling.

"Sorry." Both Luke and Lariss apologized in unison.

"No, you're not." Anakin griped.

Lariss paused mid-chew, tilting her head and tapping her chin. "Hm...No...we're not." She smiled and went to chomp down on another chocolate she had picked up when it zipped out of her hand and smacked into Anakin's. The Knight smirked and immediately ate it, entertained with the dark look Lariss shot him. The teen chose another piece of chocolate and went to eat it when she caught Anakin's eye. Protectively, Lariss held it closer to herself. "This one's mine."

"Sure, sure." Anakin waved a hand in the air at her statement and just when Lariss was going to eat the chocolate, twisted his wrist, using the Force to steal the chocolate once again.

"No!" Lariss lunged after it, tumbling into Anakin. Anakin shouted in surprise, having been unbalanced from tipping his chair back and the two crumpled back into a heap on the floor. The floor vibrated from the impact, Obi-Wan cringing from the sound of the chair snapping as the Jedi Master watched his former apprentice and his Padawan tumble down. Lariss, dazed, laid on her stomach, the chocolate sitting in the palm of her outstretched hand, blinking rapidly as she tried to process what had happened. Anakin had fallen with his chair and was now on his back, staring up at the ceiling in disbelief.

"What..?" He gave Lariss a flabbergasted look, still unable to wrap his mind around the fact that she had literally tackled him for her chocolate. Lariss sat up, flinging her arm into the air victoriously.

"HA! I got it!" She cheered, casting a smug look at Anakin. Obi-Wan hid a smile by coughing lightly, shaking his head at their antics while glancing over at Luke.

Luke, oblivious to everything that had happened, was too busy staring at the chocolate in awe. "This chocolate is good!"

* * *

 _ **-CW-**_

Later that night, after Luke and Lariss had retired to bed, Anakin and Obi-Wan were sitting across from one another at the table. The Knight was toying with a poor, unfortunate, droid that he had trapped earlier that day while Obi-Wan read the news on his datapad. Sensing Anakin's reluctance to retire, Obi-Wan decided to inquire as to what the matter was.

"Why don't you rest, Anakin?"

"Don't feel like it." Anakin muttered, distracted by the droid he was working on. Obi-Wan sympathized for the unlucky little guy, watching as Anakin tugged on a few colored wires. A frown of concentration graced Anakin's lips as he studied the wires then ripped them out.

"Why not?"

"Not tired." Anakin unconvincingly answered. Obi-Wan frowned at the lie. He knew Anakin was tired. Especially after playing with the twins. "We weren't playing." Anakin's voice suddenly broke into his thoughts, eyes flashing towards Obi-Wan. "And yes," He said, knowing what Obi-Wan was going to say next, "You were thinking out loud."

Obi-Wan huffed lightly, crossing his arms, eyes glued on the droid parts scattered on the tabletop.

"Then what were you doing?"

"I was...ah...teaching the twins some battle tactics." Anakin tried to cover-up, fighting down the urge to blush in embarrassment.

"By scaring them half to death and chasing them throughout the Temple?" Obi-Wan rhetorically asked, watching as Anakin started to redden. "Do you know how many Masters and Knights approached me, expressing their concern for Luke and Lariss? Fellow Padawans even!"

"They were learning how to take cover." Anakin defended himself, jabbing a piece of metal into the droid on the table.

"Uh-huh." Obi-Wan slowly nodded his head, unconvinced. "You were teaching the two how to flee for their lives, was what you were doing."

"You never know when that tactic will be useful in battle." Anakin shrugged, trying to tug out a rather stubborn chip in the droid. He growled when it remained implanted in the droid, the table shaking as he tried even more to pull it out.

"Allow me." Obi-Wan offered, taking the droid from Anakin's hands and working with the chip. He carefully gripped it between two fingers and slid the chip out from its slot, handing the chip to Anakin and sliding the droid back over.

"Thanks." Anakin mumbled, focusing on fixing up the droid.

"You definitely gave the twins a workout." Obi-Wan returned to the topic of their previous conversation, being careful to mask his amusement. "The two are already out like a light."

Anakin smirked. He would never admit it, but he did enjoy messing with the twins. The two were always so lively, yet they were complete opposites of one another. Luke was a bright young boy, always wearing a smile that could potentially put both Tatooine's suns to shame. He was always willing to help and calm. Lariss, Anakin found, was much less energetic than her twin. She was kind, but her eyes were dim, as if she were troubled and wary. She was watchful, always on the lookout for her twin. He guessed she was the 'protector' of their little family who took her role as the eldest seriously. But she was no less fun.

"What did they do?" Obi-Wan wanted to know. After having heard of Anakin murderously trailing after the twins, Obi-Wan had instantly set out to find them. When he did, he found that the twins had sought refuge in the Room of a Thousand Fountains. Not only that, but the three of them had fallen into one of the pools of water and were battling against one another by splashing each other with large waves of water. How they had ended up falling into the water, Obi-Wan would never know. But he could hazard a guess.

Anakin glanced up at him, brow furrowing as he tried to recall the reason he had been chasing the twins.

His mind was blank. "I have no idea." Anakin admitted, finding it odd that he had forgotten. He remembered he had been upset over something and the twins unknowingly made whatever it was worse... "I can't remember...I think...they took something? No..." Anakin started murmuring under his breath, trying hard to remember what had transpired earlier. His shoulders slumped in defeat when the Knight continued to draw a blank. "They did _something."_

"Maybe you'll remember later."

"Maybe." Anakin echoed, staring down at the droid parts on the table. "I should probably put this back together..."

"Yes, that would be a good idea. I don't very much enjoy having to explain every droid's mysterious disappearance and sudden transformation they undertook when returned."

"They're always better than they were before!" Anakin claimed, piecing the droid back together. "I don't see why they're complaining. I mean, look at your astrodroid, for example."

"I suppose you have a point..." Obi-Wan mused, thinking over the multiple droids Anakin had 'borrowed' in the past few years. "Wait..." He turned his head suddenly to face Anakin, the rest of the Knight's words sinking into his mind. " _My astrodroid_?"

Anakin seemed to find the wall more interesting to study at the moment, his hands blindly working on replacing the droid's head.

"Anakin," Obi-Wan leaned forward, "What did you do to my astrodroid?"

"Nothing." Came the quick reply.

"Oh dear..." Obi-Wan ran a hand over his face, his mind skimming over the worst possibilities. "What am I to do? We don't need another R2 rolling around the Temple!"

"What's wrong with R2?" Anakin demanded to know, jumping to his buddy's defense. "He's a perfectly fine astrodroid!"

"Oh, I'm sure he is." Obi-Wan amended. "...But, he's quite the troublemaker."

"No, he's not." Anakin denied. Obi-Wan only sighed, knowing Anakin would only continue to defend R2. "He's gotten us out of many tight situations."

"I'll give him that."

"You know it's true."

"That I..." Obi-Wan trailed off, eyes darting in the direction of his Padawan's room.

"What is it?" Anakin asked, briefly looking up from the droid he was fixing.

"Not sure..." Obi-Wan stood, concern brewing in his grey-blue orbs. "But I think Lariss may be having another nightmare. I can sense her turmoil..."

Anakin flinched at the word 'nightmares,' sympathizing with Lariss. He knew how awful those things could be.

"Must be a memory..." Obi-Wan mused aloud, wondering if he should wake the girl. Her fear that he sensed suddenly skyrocketed, a whimper trickling through his link with his Padawan. When he moved to check on her, Obi-Wan paused, sensing a sudden change in Lariss' Signature. She was growing calm.

Anakin switched his attention to the door separating his quarters from Obi-Wan's. "Luke's trying to calm her down." He whispered, sensing that his Padawan had awoken from feeling Lariss' distress and was now sending soothing waves to his sister.

"It seems to be working."

"They are quite close." Anakin lightly commented, watching Obi-Wan closely.

"Yes, they are." Obi-Wan's brow furrowed. "The Council will grow concerned..."

"Why not let them be?" Anakin asked. "Besides, they are our Apprentices now. They'll be seeing each other quite often." What was wrong with attachment anyways? Anakin wondered to himself. Sure, evil could come of it, but there was also good. Of that, he was certain.

"A good point." Obi-Wan told Anakin. "I highly doubt they could do anything to separate them, so there should be no need to worry. Besides, I sense those two are rebellious spirits. They wouldn't listen to the Council."

"Windu will certainly enjoy that." Anakin grinned. Obi-Wan chuckled and a comfortable silence settled between the two. That was, until Obi-Wan faced Anakin once again.

"Is it the nightmares?" He abruptly inquired. "Is that why you won't sleep?"

Anakin paused in the middle of his work, stiffening before forcing himself to relax. "It might be." He tersely replied, telling Obi-Wan that he had guessed the reason.

"Visions?" Obi-Wan carefully ventured, taking in the fact that Anakin appeared quite tense.

"I don't know." Anakin found himself admitting. "I can't see a thing." He frustratingly tugged on a loose wire poking out of the droid's head, glaring at it.

"In your dreams?"

"Yeah." Anakin screwed the head back on, setting the droid upright and turning it on to see if it worked. The droid's eyes brightened, a small whirring sound stirring from within it. "It's dark...but I can sense everything that's going on. There's always four people there...Two females, two males." He explained to Obi-Wan. "Every dream I've had for the past couple weeks has them. I don't know who they are, though." He gave the droid a troubled look, checking it for any mistakes. "I feel...I feel they're trying to show me something...And I always feel that I should know the people in my dreams. Especially two of them."

"Interesting." Obi-Wan thoughtfully stroked his bearded chin, thinking over what Anakin had told him. He'd never heard of the kind of dreams Anakin was describing. "Well, we need to try to get some rest. Our mission begins early tomorrow."

Anakin reluctantly agreed, setting the droid down and shutting it off.

"Oh, and before you go," Obi-Wan paused, mid-stride, in the kitchen doorway, "The Council have switched our missions."

"What?" Anakin bit back the urge to groan.

The Master nodded, frowning disdainfully. "Yes. And consider yourself lucky."

"Why?"

"You don't have to deal with politicians."

* * *

 _ **-CW-**_

 _"You will come with us, won't you?"_

 _Anakin looked around for the owner of the voice, but he was alone. There was nothing to be seen with the darkness surrounding him._

 _"I can't." A feminine voice replied, and Anakin could sense the first speaker sulking. "You know what I am. They wouldn't accept me; only cause trouble. As much as I'd want to accompany you, little brother, I'd be putting you in danger."_

 _"I don't care what you are…They've been destroyed, the station destructed…"_

 _"And everything's swell, but you know they're still wary of us. They may have been destroyed, but who's to say they won't rise up again?"_

* * *

With that, Anakin awoke, feeling even more bewildered than before. He'd been having strange dreams lately, such as the one he'd just dreamed.

"Anakin?" A voice called from his left, and the man looked to find his Master approaching him in the darkened room. "Everything alright?'

"Yeah, just fine." Anakin replied.

"Dreams again?" At Anakin's nod, Obi-Wan asked, "Do you want to talk about them?"

"It's the same as before. Well, the voices are the same. A young male, probably not even twenty, and a female. The boy asks if the girl will come with them but she tells him it would be too dangerous for him to be seen with her. I don't understand, Obi-Wan. What do they mean?"

"Have you meditated on it?" Obi-wan inquired, immediately knowing the answer from Anakin's look. "Give it a shot. What have you got to lose?"

"I suppose I'll try." Anakin sighed, getting up and moving to the center of the room.

"I'll leave you for now. Anything you want for morning meal?"

"Whatever you'll be having, Master." Anakin replied.

"Alright. Once our Padawans return, we'll be heading off on our mission." As soon as Obi-Wan left, Anakin relaxed and shut his eyes.

* * *

 _"Move!" A voice cried out, and Anakin could sense the female from before knocking the boy down when an explosion sounded. "Sith, they're onto us!"_ _  
_

 _"We still have time!" The second said. "If we can just reach the Detention area!"_

 _"Cause it'll be that easy!" A third voice, older and more rough than the others, sarcastically said._

 _"What else d'you expect, smuggler? This station isn't exactly designed to be a walk in the park!"_

 _"Wasn't asking you, wench!"_

 _"What Leia sees in you, I'll never know." The female growled in annoyance._

 _"Hey...guys…" The younger male called softly._

 _"What Iliya sees in you, I'll never know!" The third person retorted._

 _"Lay off!"_

 _"Make me!"_

 _"I will!"_

 _"Guys!" More urgency colored the boy's tone._

 _"You wouldn't…"_

 _"I would!"_

 _"GUYS!"_

 _"WHAT?!" Came the simultaneous response._

 _"There's a whole group of Stormtroopers coming our way-"_

 _"GET DOWN!"_

* * *

Then there was nothing. Anakin blinked, startling out of his meditation when he felt excruciating pain shoot through his body. "What...In the universe was that about? And what are Stormtroopers?" He shook his head. Meditating only made it even more confusing. "Who are these kids? Why would I be dreaming about them?" He wondered to himself before leaving the room, accidentally bumping into someone at once and causing for them to drop the datapads they were holding.

"I'm so sorry!" The woman exclaimed as she bent down to pick up the datapads.

"It's alright; it was my fault anyways." Anakin assured them, bending down to help the woman.

"Ani?" Anakin's head shot up at the familiar voice.

"Ree?" He blinked in surprise to find the young brunette in front of him, her datapads forgotten on the floor. "When-how-what?" He laughed and pulled the girl in for a hug. "It's been such a long time!"

"So you haven't forgotten me!" Ree smiled widely, reciprocating the hug.

"Are you kidding?" Anakin incredulously asked, though rhetorically. "How could I forget you? What are you doing here?" The two, after finally picking up all the datapads, headed off in the direction of the Temple Hangar.

"Business." Ree sighed, shaking her head. "Paranoid senators who claim they need protection, so they've given every one of us a bodyguard."

"You have a bodyguard?" Anakin smirked. The smirk then faded into confusion. "Wait...Since when did you become a senator?"

"Obi-wan was assigned to me." Ree replied, looking into the window for a moment. Anakin blinked in surprise. "And I've been a Senator for...Oh...five years now?"

"And he didn't tell me?"

"He only just found out, Ani." Ree told him.

"I'm sure Obi-Wan's thrilled." Anakin smirked.

"Totally."

"So, what's the meeting for?" Anakin decided to ask, accompanying the woman.

"I have no idea, honestly. It was an emergency meeting that was called for by some...some Senator from the Outer Rim. Wasn't really told anything." Ree apologetically looked up at him. "Thankfully, Padme's got the day off."

"Really?" Anakin was surprised.

"Yeah. I told Padme she needed it. She's done so much..." Ree clutched the datapads closer to her chest. "So I took her spot for today's discussion." She whispered the last few words, nervous.

"Something wrong?" Anakin asked.

"No. It's just...I know you and Padme rarely get to see each other, and you're such close friends, I was sure you'd be disappointed." Ree admitted, averting her gaze to the window. Anakin shook his head immediately.

"No. Quite the opposite. I mean, yeah, it stinks that I won't get to see her," It absolutely sucks, Anakin thought to himself. "But I'm grateful you stepped in. I've been trying to tell Padme she needs to take a day to relax." And he truly was. Padme had been very stressed lately because of all the meetings that the Senate continued scheduling and the irritating politicians she had to deal with. He was certain Padme was also thankful for Ree. Padme and Ree were best friends, sisters in a way. Anakin had reunited with Ree only a few months ago, during one of his missions to Coruscant when Padme had introduced him to her. Ree had been a childhood friend of Anakin's back when they lived on Tatooine. When Padme reintroduced them to one another, Anakin and Ree had joyfully spent a few hours catching up.  
At the time, Anakin hadn't known she was a Senator.

"I'll try to find a way to give Padme more time off. Maybe then the two of you can spend some time to catch up." Ree told him, relieved Anakin wasn't upset with her.

"How will you do that?" Anakin asked, quirking an eyebrow. Ree only mischievously smiled.

"I have my ways. If I can hack into the system, I can schedule some 'sick' days."

"Hack into the system?" Anakin repeated. Ree blushed profusely, ducking her head so her dark blue hair would hide her face.

"I've done it before...For a good reason!"

"Wow..." Anakin shook his head, laughing a bit.

"It was to help Padme." Ree defended herself, her knuckles turning white from gripping the datapads.

"Calm down, Ree." Anakin laughed, raising his hands up in the air. "I'm sure you had a good reason to do it. Though...that might be useful later on..." He thought aloud.

"What would?"

"Hacking into the system. Might be helpful on some future missions."

"Oh! If I can be of any service, I'm willing to help!" Ree offered, raising her head, silver eyes sparkling and earnest. Anakin placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'll keep that in mind. Actually..." Anakin cut off, staring out the large windows of the corridor, deep in thought. "Tonight...When everything's done...I might bring the twins to meet Padme."

"Twins?"

"Oh, you probably haven't heard," Anakin said, "But Obi-Wan and I have two Padawans now."

"Really?" Ree gestured for him to continue, silently demanding to hear more.

"They're twins, as I said before. Luke and Lariss Solo."

"Aw...They sound so cute." Ree squeaked, her eyes faraway as she tried to imagine Anakin and Obi-Wan's Padawans.

"Ha! I don't know how they would feel being called 'cute,' but they certainly are a handful." And so Anakin explained how he and his former Master had met the Solo twins and asked them to be their Padawans and the mini-adventures they'd already been on. Ree listened closely, hanging onto every word he spoke, commenting every now and then or throwing in a couple of questions for clarification. Anakin willingly gave her all the information she wanted.

By the time he was through, he and Ree had reached the Temple Hangar where Obi-Wan was waiting. "They sound wonderful." Ree said to Anakin. "I want to meet them sometime."

"You will be meeting them today. Well...One of them at least." Anakin indicated to Lariss, who had bounded into the Hangar and rushed to her Master's side. Ree's eyes widened upon seeing her, immediately noting how familiar she appeared.

"Oh my word..." She breathed, confused. She was certain Lariss was familiar...but why? She had seen her face somewhere before... ' _I know I have...The hair color...those eyes...'_ The politician thought to herself.

Anakin misinterpreted her reaction, thinking Ree was only amazed that Lariss was Obi-Wan's Padawan.

"Yeah. She certainly is a handful for Obi-Wan." Anakin smirked, Ree raising an eyebrow at him.

"And you weren't?"

"Eh." He merely shrugged in response.

Ree sighed, shoulders slumping a bit. "I suppose I should be going. It was wonderful to see you again, Anakin. I'll tell Padme to expect you and your Padawans later."

"Thanks. Have fun at the discussion." Anakin clasped her shoulder. Ree sarcastically grinned.

"I definitely will."

With that, she went her way, approaching Obi-Wan and Lariss. Anakin watched as Obi-Wan politely greeted her and as Lariss studied the woman they were to escort to the discussion. He lingered for just a little longer, bidding Obi-Wan and Lariss goodbye, then wandered out of the Hangar to find Luke. His Padawan had wandered off earlier that morning and Anakin had yet to find him.

"Skywalker." A voice drifted down the Hangar to him. Anakin turned to see Mace Windu briskly walking toward him and fought the urge to sigh. What did Windu have to say now?

"Your needed down in the training rooms." Windu stated once he reached where Skywalker was. Anakin blinked.

"Why?"

"Your Padawan had an... _incident_ earlier and it involved Master Wilan..." Windu pursed his lips, expression stern.

"Master Wilan?" Anakin thought back to the Training Master he had briefly met when he first became a Knight. He was a respectable man, but not experienced in combat. Why he had been appointed as the Padawan's trainer, he would never know.

"Yes. And since Master Wilan will be unable to teach his class today because of said incident, you will take his place."

Anakin's eyes comically widened. " _Me?_ " Master Windu, wanted him, Anakin SKywalker, to teach a bunch of Padawans? A bunch of rowdy and wild kids?

Windu sensed his hesitation and disbelief, and, knowing exactly what was going through the Knight's head, smiled,

"Yes, you."

' _Luke...'_

Sensing that Luke acknowledged his call, Anakin continued in a low, monotonous tone,

 _'When I find you...'_

Apprehension trickled through their link as Luke waited for him to continue,

 _'I am going to murder you.'_

* * *

 _ **-CW-**_

 _ **There you have it. Another chapter all wrapped up and finished. Um...Should be more action later. And there'll be a bunch of time-skips since this takes place during the Clone Wars and a lot of things happened during that time...  
So, yeah. I hope you enjoyed reading! **_


End file.
